Legend: Book One
by Stormlight
Summary: KC ONLY wanted to find some information for an assignment. What better place than a library, right? Hey, now, who put that man-eating book over there? The Girl of what? The Priestess of WHO? She REALLY shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning.
1. Wherein Our Heroine is Introduced

_ANs: Old story that I've been working on again. It's got a new title, new scenes, new editing, and hopefully overall improvement from the last version, which wasn't that bad to begin with, if I do say so myself.  
_

_I first started writing this a few years back, because I was sick of wading through the slushpile of badly-written Mary-Sue-from-hell stories that have pretty much overrun the entire FY category. I decided to prove that there can be a GOODly-written OC fic, in which the reader does not wish to throttle the OC, but rather cheer her on. Or at least not hate her to the very depths of their soul. This is the result.  
_

_And yes, I'm well aware that goodly is being used out of context. Sue me. :P_

* * *

**One  
Wherein ****Our ****Heroine ****is ****Introduced**

"Kit-Kat! Christmas is only two days away! And it's Christmas vacation, starting today!" came Brady Summers' horribly off-key declaration as she leaped onto Katriana "KC" Choinski's back, causing the much shorter girl to stumble into a line of lockers with a pained "_oomph!__"_

"Yeah, and apparently I'm not gonna live to see it, if you have anything to say about it, Elephant-butt," KC grumbled as she pushed herself away from the metal wall. She scowled as she pulled up her sleeve to examine her elbow, which was darkening with the beginning of a bruise. "How many times have I told you _not_ to call me Kit-Kat?" she added. "Do I _look_ like a candy bar?"

"Ooooo! _Somebody__'__s_ in a pissy mood today." Brady drew herself to her full and very thin supermodel-height of six feet and two inches and pouted playfully down at her best friend, who was a very unimpressive height of five-foot-four, with no expectation of ever growing another inch in the future. KC had never understood why she was so short when her parents were so tall (six feet even, the both of them); her father had always joked that she actually came from a family of midgets and had been secretly switched at birth. All she knew was that once she'd hit thirteen and her current height, her body decided all on its own that it had done enough growing. Unfortunately for her, this also included her chest. It was to her eternal discomfiture that she wore the same cup size at age sixteen as she had at age thirteen, with little hope for any more growth _there_ in the future, either.

"Oh, that's fine," Brady complained, tossing her red curls haughtily. "I come to wish you holiday cheer and you're calling me fat. Very nice."

KC rolled her eyes, knowing full-well Brady's penchant for playing the drama queen. She was about to point it out when a new voice cut in. "Come on, Brady. We all know the only fat you've got on your body is the stuff in your head where your brain ought to be." KC cracked up as a petite, smirking girl with short, glossy black hair and eyes the color of melted chocolate stopped beside them, her arms overloaded with books and papers.

"What is this, the 'Let's Insult Brady Brigade'?" the red-head complained good-naturedly.

"Hi, Kimiko," KC greeted, eying the newcomer's swaying stack of books doubtfully. "I see you're trying to bury yourself in homework again. But you know, that stack just doesn't look deep enough to do the job properly. Maybe if we try adding mine to the pile…"

"Nice try, KC. Maybe you should follow my example and actually do your own work. Then you wouldn't have to fake your mom's signature on your report card all the time," Kimiko Yura shot back, earning a laugh from Brady. KC pulled a face at them both and hoisted her pack over her shoulder.

"I can't go Christmas shopping with you this afternoon," she grumbled.

"What?" Brady yelped, nearly dropping her bag. "But … but the cheerful holiday music! The jolly old Saint Nick sitting in the center! Our customary Peppermint Mocha Trio at the coffee shop. And … and the _sales_! How can you _miss_ that?"

"The hoards of rabid, desperate mothers and fathers running each other down in a desperate attempt to grab the very last Must-Buy-or-I-Have-Failed-as-a-Parent toy of the season. How can you miss _that_?" Kimiko deadpanned.

KC's lips twitched despite herself. "It's because Ms. Brown gave us a huge world history assignment to do," she explained. "I'm talking, like, half-our-yearly-grade huge, here. She assigned us all periods of history which we have to thoroughly research and then write a thirty page essay about our findings. Thirty pages! And it's due right after vacation, which means I'll be spending most of my time looking up the finer details of ancient China in the library. China! What do I know about China? Why do I _care_ about China? It's not like I'm ever gonna _go_ there or anything! I'm thoroughly convinced that woman is the reincarnation of Ebeneezer Scrooge!"

"Well, that could be feasible," Kimiko replied slowly, "if Scrooge was, you know, an actual _person_ and all…"

Brady laughed. "Weren't you the one who insisted on taking world history instead of normal American history like us common folk?" she teased as the three of them made their way out to the parking lot. Or, more specifically, attempted to squeeze their way through the double doors along with the rest of the school's population, all at the same time. "World history is, like, an advanced class, and you're not exactly an honor student."

"That was before I knew I had the Grinch for a teacher," KC gasped as she managed to pull herself free from the squirming tangle of arms, legs, and book bags. A gust of cold air hit her in the face, stinging her nose and forcing several explosive sneezes from her lungs. "_Urgh_. I _swear_ I'b allergic to cold," she sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve.

"Ew, use a tissue, would you?" Brady wrinkled her nose distastefully. "And, like, cover your mouth while you're at it! I don't wanna catch whatever you've got and ruin my holiday."

"Your unfailing sympathy toward my health gives me warm fuzzies all over." KC pulled a face at her. "Anyway, _as_ I was saying, history is actually one of my _better_ subjects, so I figured taking an advanced course couldn't hurt my GPA any."

"Yeah. Unless you _fail_ it," Kimiko deadpanned.

"Oh, hush up, you Einstein wannabe."

"Are you _sure_ you don't want to come with us? A little shopping fortification before hitting the books will give you strength!" Brady pleaded, strolling over to her Cavalier, a sweet little convertible painted bright yellow. It had been a sixteenth birthday present from her parents three months ago. KC, whose parents weren't nearly as rich as Brady's, had gotten a gift card to Sears and a pack of underwear for her sixteenth birthday. That was from her mom. Her dad, who resided somewhere in Chicago, had apparently forgotten she even _had_ a birthday.

"Let's see now…" Brady hummed a little, off-key tune (really, the girl couldn't hold a proper note to save her life) as she pulled out her keys and pressed the little button on her key chain to unlock the car.

The parking lot was immediately filled with an ear-shattering blast of noise that sounded roughly like a cross between a tornado alarm and a scalded cat, immediately drawing the attention of every student within a two mile radius to the source of the awful wailing, and the three girls standing beside it.

Two of which were not-so-subtly attempting to crawl into the asphalt and hide.

Looking properly sheepish, Brady hastily pushed the red button to silence the car alarm. "Eh-heh. Oops! My bad!" she chirped, attempting to look as cute and innocent as any anime heroine ever invented. The female students all rolled their eyes in jealousy while the males stood around and swooned in the face of Brady's brilliant, sheepish smile.

KC and Kimiko just looked at each other and rolled their eyes heavenward.

"Third time this week. And it's only Tuesday." Kimiko's sigh bespoke of extreme exasperation.

"I'd _swear_ she does it on purpose," KC agreed.

* * *

KC breathed in the scent of old books and dust as she entered the library fifteen minutes later. "Stupid history teacher and her stupid homework assignments," she grumbled as she made her way to the research section, intent on finding and photocopying as many pages as she could in one shot, so she wouldn't have to make any return trips. Really, how stupid was it to not allow people to just check the books out and take them home? It was rather inconvenient. It wasn't as if there was a huge waiting list for books on ancient Chinese dynasties, after all.

_But,__maybe __it's __actually __better __this __way,_ she thought, instantly cheering up. If she didn't have to lug a ton of books around, then she'd be able to join her friends at the mall. She still had presents to buy, and there was a Peppermint Mocha Trio with her name on it, darn it! It shouldn't be difficult to copy a decent amount of reference material in time to catch the three-thirty bus. It was really just a matter of finding out dates, names, a few details, and viola! Instant paper. Luckily she, like most American high-school students, had essay-writing down to a fine art, and prided herself on being somewhat of a connoisseur of making a paper look professional and detailed without doing a lot of actual work.

And hey, if all else failed, there were always Cliff's Notes.

Did Cliff ever write any notes on ancient China though?

As she pondered this mystery, KC absently browsed through the ancient, slightly-battered cabinets containing the numerous file cards of the Dewy Decimal System, looking for anything on Chinese history. Every other year or so, the head librarian and the head of the town council threw a big hoopla to raise money for a new computer network for the library, in order to modernize the entire system. This had been happening for the last ten years or so, and so far the only computer KC had ever seen in that library was the huge, antique Tandy behind the librarian's desk.

In another fifteen minutes, KC had come to the irritating conclusion that the library didn't have a single book on her subject. There were plenty of books on China, but they were all about the modernized country, not the ancient one. "It figures," she groused, snatching up her bag from the dusty floor and stomping toward the help desk. "I should've asked Kimiko to loan me her computer and look it all up. What kind of a library is this, anyway?"

At least Kimiko would help her out. Well, as long as KC bribed her with some chocolate mousse cheesecake. Kimiko was fiercely protective of her netbook, but she could never resist chocolate, or _anything_ sweet, for that matter. How the girl stayed so thin when she packed such a sweet tooth remained a mystery to KC, especially since she herself seemed to gain weight if she so much as licked a breath mint. She sighed heavily. Short, pudgy, and boobless. No wonder boys never looked at her twice.

Unless, of course, it was to ask for Brady's or Kimiko's personal information.

_Losers._

She stopped in front of the desk, behind which an elderly lady sat, slowly tapping away at the ancient computer. After two minutes had slowly ticked by, during which the librarian, Mrs. Potter, continued to be oblivious to her presence, KC sighed and shook her head. Mrs. Potter was a sweet old lady, but not exactly the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, sometimes. She had been working at the library for as long as anyone could remember; she was probably there before the Tandy had ever made its appearance. Maybe even before Dewy Decimal.

After another minute had passed, and Mrs. Potter still showed no sign of awareness toward her immediate surroundings, KC finally succumbed to a noisy bout of throat-clearing. The tapping faltered and stopped and watery blue eyes framed by a pair of old-fashioned granny spectacles turned toward the girl. "May I help you, young lady?" Mrs. Potter asked politely. "Are you lost?"

KC held back a grin, despite her sour mood. "I'm not lost. I've been visiting this library since I was six. I even worked here for the past three summers as a volunteer, remember?"

Mrs. Potter squinted and adjusted her glasses, and then her face broke out into a delighted smile. "Why, Katriana Choin-sky! It's been so long since I've seen you, dear! How have you been?"

KC was forced to hold back another grin. "Just as well as I was last week. You know, when Mom had you over for dinner on Friday? And, it's _Cho-in-skee_." Really. If that woman ever learned how to pronounce her name, the earth just might violently heave itself off its own axis.

"Oh, of course, you're right." Mrs. Potter tittered as she shook her head. "I get a little absentminded now and again. Comes with old age, I guess." She patted her silvery hair. "Now, Miss Choin-sky, what may I help you with?" She smiled amiably behind her wire-rimmed spectacles and folded her hands primly on the desk. KC could almost swear she saw a teasing sparkle in the woman's eyes. She refrained from rolling her own as she replied, "I was wondering if you could let me into the back rooms, where all the old reference books are kept, the ones they don't put out for common use."

Mrs. Potter pursed her lips. "Oh, I don't know, dear, only employees are allowed back there. The books are old and can be easily damaged, you see."

"I know, and I wouldn't ask, but I've got this _huge_ essay due and I can't find any books with the information I need and I've got _so_ much to do and it's Christmas vacation and it would really, _really _help me out." KC was aware that she was on the verge of actually whining, and all she had to do was visit Kimiko and hook up to the internet, but for some reason it seemed imperative that she find the needed reference material at the library. It was probably because she _couldn__'__t_ find any that had her so determined to locate at least one book for her project. Her mom always told her that she was way too stubborn for her own good.

"Can you let me back there just for a little bit to get some info written down? I'm sure I can find what I need. I'll be very careful with the books, I promise. And I'm sort of an employee, aren't I, since I volunteer and all?" KC folded her hands together and gave Mrs. Potter her best kicked-puppy look.

"Well…" Mrs. Potter appeared to be heavily considering her plea.

_Yes! _KC did a mental happy dance. _Never __underestimate __the __power __of __the __Puppy __Eyes!_

Finally, after a bit more deliberation, Mrs. Potter gave a brief, precise nod and opened a drawer to pull out a set of keys. "This is the key to the lower reference room located in the basement. And this is the key to the basement." She picked a tarnished brass skeleton key out of the bunch, along with a much newer and smaller steel key. "Now, mind you, the library closes in one hour, and you really aren't supposed to be down there, even if you do volunteer every summer. So make sure you don't let Charley see you. He'll be around about quarter till four to make sure the doors are locked and the lights are out."

"Thanks, Mrs. Potter. You're the best!" KC cried, snatching the keyring from the woman's hand and darting toward the basement stairs, managing to skid into the corner of a bookcase on the way.

"Walk, dear!" came Mrs. Potter's amused reprimand.

"_Ow_," was KC's answering complaint as she slowed her run to a more sedate pace; a fresh bruise was already forming on her other arm. "At least they match now," she grumbled, attempting to rub the ache out of her tender elbows.


	2. Down the Rabbit Hole

**Two  
Down ****the ****Rabbit ****Hole ****(in ****a ****Manner ****of ****Speaking)**

KC had never liked the basement. It was dark and smelled like mildew and old parchment, and it looked like a dungeon, having been built somewhere in the early nineteenth century. It was creepy and cold and as if that wasn't bad enough, one of the other librarians had told her the building was once used as a temporary courthouse before the official courthouse had been completed, a hundred and fifty years ago. It was rumored that some of the less … pleasant sentences had been carried out in that very basement, and that sometimes one could still sense the spirits of those dead criminals wandering around, seeking vengeance.

Needless to say, KC avoided going down there during her volunteer days as often as possible. She wasn't superstitious by nature, but she'd seen too many horror movies with similar settings to ever feel comfortable going into one. Sometimes she cursed her overactive imagination. Now, of course, was one of those times, when her eyes kept trying to show her things that she was sure weren't really there. Like the large, bulky shape half-hidden behind an old bookcase, looking very much like the serial ax murderer she'd seen on the bad SyFy network movie the other day…

Gritting her teeth and clinging desperately to her wavering courage, KC darted through the large room, dodging broken chairs, spare shelves, packing boxes, and cobwebs left and right, and miraculously managing to _not_ kill herself in the process. Her Ugg boots thudded dully on the packed-dirt floor, and finally, she was on the other side where a large, decidedly-modern door heralded the entrance to the basement reference room.

She could practically feel the breath of those alleged vengeful spirits ghosting down her neck—which was kinda stupid, really, considering spirits didn't breathe—as she sought to get the key into the lock. Was it her imagination, or had she heard something rustle behind her? In fact, it had sounded suspiciously like wing-beats.

"Ack! Bats!" she squeaked, and redoubled her efforts. She hated bats almost as much as she hated vengeful spirits, and unlike vengeful spirits, bats were real and showed absolutely no distinction between a moth and a human head; they seemed to dive-bomb either one with no discretion at all. She knew this from personal experience.

Another rustle of wing beats and a faint, high-pitched shriek reached her ears, making her almost bolt out of the room. Did bats shriek? She thought she remembered watching a documentary about bats in South America, and she was pretty sure those bats had shrieked. Of course, the suburbs of Boston were as far from South America as a person could get, but what if some had escaped from the zoo or something? There was a zoo in Boston, right?

KC managed to drop the key ring twice while dodging imaginary bats winging over her head, and wasted precious moments of again trying to pick the right silver key out of the bazillion other silver keys jingling on the ring. "Can't they _label_ these things?" she complained as she inserted the fifth key into the lock and turned it. She was rewarded with a faint click as the lock released, and in another moment she was inside the room—tripping over the raised floor, as somebody had apparently spent time actually cementing this part of it over—and slamming the door behind her. Whew. Safe. Let's see rabid bats try to dive-bomb her head in _there_.

Taking a deep breath, and immediately starting to feel more than a little silly at her unreasonable panic attack—Whoever heard of South American bats living in basements, anyway? Attics would be _much_ more to their liking—KC looked around the room, gathering her bearings. There was light streaming in from windows far above, but it was murky from all the street grime that coated the outside of the glass, giving the room a gloomy, dim appearance. Tall shelves stood in a line across the expanse of the floor and along the stone walls, filled with dusty tomes as thick as KC's arm and probably as heavy as Kimiko's backpack. The light switch was just beside her head, and KC flipped it on. The overhead fluorescent lights crackled to life, seriously out of place in such a dungeon but more than comforting to see as the room flooded with electric brilliance.

Nodding to herself, feeling much more at ease (no more flapping wings or weird shrieks in here), KC hung her coat over the back of a chair and dropped her fifty-pound backpack beside it, then headed toward the shelves to start searching through the rows of books. She wasn't quite sure what she was looking for, but hoped all the same that she'd find it. The titles were worn and hard to read, and she found herself squinting to make out the illegible print. Some of these books were really _old_, she realized. The titles were stamped into the leather covers, not just printed on with ink, and the covers themselves were cracked, dry, and brittle. No wonder they were sealed in this room; they'd decay in no time at all if left in the outer basement, or even up in the main library. They were probably highly valuable, too.

She finally came upon a book that seemed promising. The title read—as near as she could tell, as it was a bit worn and happened to be on the shelf directly above her head—"The Histories of the Orient" in fancy, scrolled lettering. "Bingo!" she exclaimed, reaching to take the huge volume from the shelf. A ladder would have been more practical, but as she didn't see anything resembling a ladder anywhere nearby, and as she didn't possess the patience to go look for one, she ignored all semblance of common sense and pulled. Hard.

She got the book easily enough. Unfortunately, she got its neighbor along with it, whose faded ribbon page-marker had somehow gotten caught beneath the weight of the first book, thereby dragging it forward and straight off the shelf. Needless to say, she was a bit surprised to suddenly find herself flat on her back with two rather large and extremely heavy books cradled haphazardly in her arms, squeezing the breath from her lungs.

"Boy, am I glad nobody was around to see that," she wheezed, pushing the tomes off her body. She didn't feel injured, but she wasn't so sure she could say the same about the books. Worriedly, she checked the first volume over, noting with relief that it didn't seem the worse for wear from its impromptu tumble off the shelf. The second book, however, had a very obvious crease right down the middle of the cover. She bit her lip; the bend may or may not have already been there, but she'd been too busy trying to dodge the thing before it landed on her head to actually get a good look at it beforehand.

"Mrs. Potter's gonna skin me alive," she groaned, trying to unbend the stiff leather as much as possible without cracking it. "I wonder how much of my life savings I'll have to give up to pay for this. So much for a new car." She pounded her forehead against the book a few times for added effect and then lay with her eyes closed, wondering if it was at all possible to start the entire day over again. "I really hate my life," she decided with a heavy sigh, and opened her eyes.

_That _was when she noticed the third book, lying not three inches from her nose, its bright red cover a shocking contrast to the dark brown, nearly black leather her head rested upon. Blinking a few times and wondering if she was seeing things—she was pretty sure it hadn't been there a moment ago—she slowly sat up and reached out to touch the small volume resting beside her hand. It _felt_ real enough. It must have been caught between the other two books, and given that it wasn't even half the size of those two and barely thicker than her index finger, it was no wonder she'd missed it before. It, too, looked old, the leather cover faded and a bit worn around the edges. She picked it up carefully, hoping she hadn't managed to damage that one, as well. There was a strange imprint on the cover—like a bird, a red peacock—over which was embossed, in worn golden letters, a title. It looked like Chinese kanji.

"A Chinese book?" For a moment, excitement returned, and she hastily flipped open the cover, only to deflate when she realized the book itself, not just the title, was written in the same illegible characters. "What's this doing here? No wonder it's stored here; not like a lot of people can actually read it," she grumbled, staring down at the brief message (a dedication or an excerpt of some kind?) written on the first page. She could see the vague outline of an illustration on the other side through the thin paper and, more out of idle curiosity than anything else, she flipped the page over for a better look.

She was completely unprepared for the flood of brilliant, crimson light that burst from the pages, engulfing her in a hazy red glow. The sound of wing-beats returned full-force, surrounding her entirely, and she screamed and immediately threw the book across the room.

Well, she _tried_ to, anyway.

What happened instead was that the book hung in midair, all by itself, as the light continued to flood the room. She gaped stupidly at the spectacle for a moment, before belatedly realizing that the book appeared to be getting _closer_.

No, that wasn't right. The book wasn't moving, _she_ was! She was being pulled across the floor toward it, where the light burned brightest. The light, she realized, was actually trying to pull her _into_ the book! She screamed again and whipped around, running full-speed toward the exit. She wasn't getting anywhere very fast, though, and to her horror, she saw the shelves around her, the walls, the floors, turning translucent, fading right out from under her.

A folding chair somehow got itself tangled in her legs, and she landed with a pained gasp on the floor, which still _felt_ solid enough, even though she could see right through it. The tugging got stronger and she felt herself being dragged backward. She shrieked again and scrabbled for purchase, clawing at the smooth floor, grasping selves and whatever she could lay her hands on. She saw her pack and lunged for it, her hand just barely grasping one of its straps before the red light flared brilliantly, and then she was suddenly falling, falling through a swirling red and black vortex, as stars and light and the fading library room spun around and around.

The darkness of oblivion rose behind her eyes and she knew no more.

The Chinese tome hung suspended for another long moment, still glowing softly with eerie power. Finally, the red light flickered and died, and it dropped to the ground with a dull pat, becoming an ordinary book once again.


	3. Meeting the Emperor Sort of

**Three  
****Wherein She (Sort of) Meets the Emperor**

KC awoke to a dull pain throbbing in her head and an even greater pain throbbing in her neck. Brought on, she discovered, by the highly uncomfortable position in which she found herself; sprawled up against a cold stone wall, her head was bent so far forward that her chin was touching her collarbone. "Ugh," she croaked, rolling away from the wall and rubbing her stiff neck. "What a bizarre dream." She had never known how uncomfortably bumpy a concrete floor could be when one was laying on it for too long. It almost felt like she had actual rocks digging into her—

"_Wait _a minute."

Her eyes snapped open, only to immediately close when, instead of the long, florescent tube lights in their metal casings, brilliant midday sunlight greeted her eyes with a blinding glare. "I'm outside? How the hell did I get out _here_?" she groaned, getting to her feet stiffly and cautiously opening one eye. "Don't tell me Charley found me and just dumped me out on the street! That bum! What kind of security guard is he, anyway? I oughtta sue!"

She frowned and patted the back of her jeans, realizing they were wet through. So was the back of her shirt, and her hair felt damp. Wherever she was, it had apparently been raining, and she'd been laying in it for who _knew_ how long. She rubbed her eyes to clear them and looked at her surroundings, completely disoriented. Something didn't feel right. Maybe it was just the bump on her head talking, but … this didn't _look_ like Juniper Street. In fact, this didn't even look like her _city_. The buildings were all wrong. Most of them weren't even more than a story high, unlike the apartment buildings and department stores lining the streets of her town. They were simple constructions of wood and clay, with reddish tile that looked like split bamboo shoots on their roofs. They all held an old-fashioned, foreign look, like something out of a kung-fu movie.

Or … like something one might see if they'd somehow ended up traveling back in time to ancient China. "Oh man oh man oh man…" KC fisted her hands into her dark brown hair and stared around in complete bewilderment. "That dream," she muttered, her voice shaking heavily. "That _was_only a dream, right? Or … or maybe _this_ is the dream and I'm really still back in the library and … I'm in some kind of a coma or something." She sank to her haunches and put her head between her knees, breathing deeply, in and out. "Okay … okay," she told herself sternly. "Panicking won't help. Mind-numbing terror sure as _hell_ won't help. Gotta figure out _what_ is going on. This is just some sort of a dream or something, so all I have to do is wake up and I'll be home again. Right. No problem."

She closed her eyes and _willed_ herself awake.

"Okay. I'm going to wake up … _now_." She waited. "_Any_ second." She waited some more, and pinched her thigh viciously, just to help herself along. She was rewarded with nothing but … a sore thigh. "Ow. Wait. I'm not supposed to _feel_ that. If I feel it, then I'm not asleep. But, I can't be _awake_ because I'm in the middle of … of … _crap_! Where the hell _am __I_?" Out of sheer frustration, she stood abruptly and kicked a rock out of her path. It skittered across the dirt and smacked off another wall with a sharp clack. "This isn't a dream!" she exclaimed incredulously. "I can't believe it. This isn't a _dream_!I'm actually _here. _Wherever 'here' is…"

_China,_ her logic—which was, amazingly enough, still functioning—immediately provided. _The __book __is __Chinese, __right? __So, __it __must've __sucked __me __into __some __Chinese __city. __I __was __actually _eaten _by __a __bloody _library book_!_

Now seemed like a great time to start panicking.

The only options KC had were to stay put where she was, or to look around a bit and attempt to get her bearings. She started walking. She didn't know where she was going, but considering she didn't know where she _was_, that hardly seemed important at the moment. She'd barely taken two steps, however, when her foot hit something and she looked down to see her backpack lying at her feet. "It came _with_ me?" She vaguely remembered grabbing hold of it, in the very unlikely hope that its weight would be enough to anchor her to the real world. She snorted in disgust, giving it a light kick. "Some help _you_ turned out to be," she grumbled, stooping to pick it up and sling it over her shoulders.

It was nearly as damp as her shirt, and she could only hope that it hadn't soaked up too much rainwater. She'd have a pretty hard time explaining how all of her textbooks had to be replaced due to water damage. At least the contents of her purse, which she'd stuffed inside the backpack, ought to be safe. Which was a good thing since she was carrying some delicate electronics, like her digital camera and iPod, which she always carried with her.

But not a cell phone, she thought with a scowl. Not anything as useful in this predicament as a cell phone. To think, all those months spent trying to talk her mother into buying her a phone—for use in case of emergencies, of course—and every time being firmly rebuffed with the simple argument of, "You never do anything that might put you into an emergency in the first place, so what's the point of wasting money?"

The irony was not lost on her, and she was willing to bet her mom would be eating those words if she discovered the emergency her daughter was in right at that moment.

After a few more moments of consideration, KC decided that she was in an alley, since the cobbled path seemed too narrow for a road. There were numerous doorways in the buildings around her, but a suspicious lack of people lurking in them. There were no cars or bicycles or horses or any transportation at all. A few stray chickens and a pig snuffling by, but that was it. Was she in an abandoned town? It would just figure.

Still, when she listened, she realized she could hear noise, a faint murmur that grew steadily louder as she continued walking. It sounded like people, she realized with relief. A _lot_ of people, like a whole, milling crowd of them. She could also hear low rumbling and above that the neighing of horses. Her pace quickened as she hurried toward the noise. She was certainly headed into the right part of town, and as busy as it sounded, it seemed like everyone else had headed there, too. Now, all she had to do was find someone and ask—

Wait.

She wasn't in America at the moment, and unless she'd mysteriously learned how to speak the local language, she was going to be facing a major barrier even if she did find someone to ask for directions. She huffed a sigh and kicked at the dirt again. "Too bad I couldn't have landed in Japan. At least I know how to say hello and ask where the local restaurants are in _that_ language," she muttered. Which brought her to another problem. Where would she find food and, more importantly, how was she going to pay for it? She was carrying a small amount of money. _American_ money. And she had no means to exchange it for local currency. She'd need a passport for that, wouldn't she?

She froze, the realization striking her like a sack of wet cement. "Holy freakin' _crap _I don't have a passport," she gasped. "I'm in China without a _passport_. Is that even _legal_?" If she got caught by the police, how would she explain how she made it past Customs? They'd naturally assume she snuck in, but they wouldn't be wrong, would they? And people who got caught sneaking into China generally didn't sneak _out_ again for a really, really long time.

Oh, this adventure just kept getting better and better, didn't it?

But in another moment, as she stepped out of the alleyway and into a very wide and very busy menagerie of a street, she decided that getting caught without a passport was the very _least_ of her worries.

_I'm … not in the twenty-first century anymore…_

Her first assumption had been correct; she was definitely in a Chinese city. But this particular city looked exactly like something out of a historical movie set somewhere in the past several centuries. There were no cars, no telephone poles, no streetlights, no flashing signs or blaring music. No signs of modern life, _period_.

Instead, there were the horses and carts and street vendors and stray animals (and children) wandering all over the place. There was even a giant elephant, on whose back several men performed death-defying acrobatics to a crowd of delighted onlookers, while children ran screaming and laughing underneath the elephant's giant feet, ignoring the furious yelling of the animal's handlers.

KC gazed around the blur of activity, at a complete loss. _Okay.__I__found__Main__Street.__Now__what?_ She had no idea what to do next. Should she approach someone and ask for help? But how was she supposed to speak to them? If she really was in ancient China, it was highly doubtful anyone here would have even _heard_ English before, much less knew how to speak it.

A few people had noticed her, and were giving her odd looks. When a group of men on the other side of the street began to murmur among themselves and point in her direction, KC spooked and hastily backed into the alley again. She couldn't draw attention to herself, not until she figured out what to do. She paced for a few moments, pondering her next move. When her stomach growled loudly, she grimaced and crossed her arms over it, wishing she'd eaten lunch. She'd been too busy exchanging Christmas gifts with her friends to bother at the time. She still had the lunch she'd packed that morning (Was it really only that morning? It seemed like forever ago!) but it was probably stuffed into the bottom of her pack beneath her textbooks, nothing but a soggy, squashed mess of crushed potato chips and lunch meat by now. She wasn't _that_ hungry just yet.

"Excuse me. Do you need some help?"

"Huh?" Taken completely by surprise, KC whirled around and came face-to-face with a young man of about eighteen years of age. She blinked at him, realizing he was kind of handsome, and then blinked again as she also realized that she could understand his question. "Y-you can _talk_!" she squeaked, and was rewarded with a strange look.

"Yeeees … most people can," the man replied carefully.

"No, no. I mean … you can speak English," she elaborated, and was rewarded with another strange look.

"Are you … okay?" he questioned gently. "Do you need to sit down or anything?"

"No, no! I'm fine, really. I'm just _so_ glad I can understand somebody," KC gushed. "I mean, I thought I was in _so_ much trouble." She heaved a relieved sigh and smiled at her savior. "I don't suppose _you_ can tell me where I am, can you?"

The man grinned back. "Oh, sure. You're in Konan, of course. The capital, to be specific. Are you traveling? Did you get lost somehow? You look like a foreigner. You're dressed rather, um, strangely," he added, eyeballing her speculatively, with an odd look in his eyes. "And your hair has some … rather unusual coloring, doesn't it?"

KC frowned at his tone and looked down at herself. She was wearing one of her usual pairs of embroidered jeans, her boots, and a brown, crushed-velvet chemise beneath a long over-shirt of cream lace. Okay, so it wasn't the most _practical_ outfit to wear on a frigid day in December, but it was perfectly normal.

As for her long mane of hair, it was also a perfectly normal shade of dark brown. It was almost the same shade as his, in fact, so what was he whining about? Unless it was the recent addition of some light blonde streaks to which he was referring. KC felt stung; she _liked_ her highlights, and they'd been Brady's Christmas present to her. Besides, as _his_ wardrobe consisted of something resembling a sleeveless trench coat, a pair of cutoff pants in dire need of a wash, and a worn-out pair of ballet slippers, she didn't think he had _any_ right to criticize. After all, his hair was pulled back into a tight bun on top of his head, and covered with a cloth _doily_ of all things.

"Um, yeah, I'm from out of town," she said, deciding that this fellow wasn't so handsome, after all. His hair was greasy, his eyes were too beady, and he didn't smell very good, either. Maybe some girls would be turned on by the odor of old sweat and unwashed clothes, but she personally couldn't see the attraction in guys who had such an obvious aversion to soap.

"I see," the stranger replied, giving her another one of his charming smiles (at least he had nice teeth, even if they were in need of a good scrubbing). "So, would you like a tour or anything? Are you looking for your companions?"

"I'm by myself," she mumbled distractedly, as an odd procession making its way down the street caught her eye. Too late, she realized what she'd just admitted, and mentally kicked herself. _Way __to __go, __moron! __Why __not __just __beg __the __guy __to __mug __you __while __you__'__re __at __it?_

"Really, now? That's very interesting."

KC stiffened, most definitely _not_ liking his sudden change in tone. She narrowed her eyes and turned again to give him a suspicious glance. He wasn't that tall, and he wasn't built like some guys she knew, like the high school wrestling team for example. But she didn't know much about fighting and doubted she's stand a chance if it came down to self-defense. Still, she was shorter than him by a good three inches, and probably lighter on her feet. She was a pretty fast runner if she had to be, so there was a good chance she'd be able to outrun him long enough to lose him in the crowds on the street.

Of course, these thoughts occurred _before_ the three other men stepped out from one of the previously deserted side-entrances in the building at her back, grinning evilly and eyeballing her in a way that sent chills down her spine. Oh, well crap. So much for the fleeing-for-her-life idea. One, she could escape. Maybe even two, if she got lucky. But _four_?

"Well, well. If this ain't an exotic-looking creature, I don't know what is!" one of the boys growled, a lecherous smirk plastered onto his greasy face.

KC blinked. _Exotic? __Me?_ For a moment, she was flattered, but only for a moment. And then she realized she could understand him, as well, and frowned. What was going on? Did _all_ of these people speak English?

"I think we could get a pretty high price with the slave dealers; I heard there's a bunch passing through town. Her clothes alone should bring in quite a sum." The first thug fingered her sleeve with a dirty hand.

She smacked him away, pissed off and even more scared. She could hear the procession in the street coming closer; the sound of feet marching in unison, and a harsh voice calling out, "Get off the street! Make way!" She chanced a glance out into the open; the townsfolk had dispersed and were now lining either side of the wide, cobblestone avenue, murmuring in hushed, excited voices. In the middle of the street, a long procession of men and horses dressed in brilliant scarlet uniforms and golden armor were marching in grim formation, like a troop of toy soldiers.

Very grouchy-looking and _well-armed_ toy soldiers, if their scowls and the multitude of gleaming spears and swords they carried were any indication. In the middle of the long procession, something flashed brilliantly in the sun. It looked like a golden carriage, enclosed by scarlet curtains and borne on thick poles carried by eight very muscular men, two at each corner. It was called a palanquin, if KC remembered her history correctly. It was the mode of transportation used by very important people, like government officials and such. Judging by the amount of guards surrounding _this_ palanquin, it was a _very_ important person who rode inside.

KC could hardly believe her good fortune. This was great! A procession of soldiers! All she had to do was lose herself in the group, and then she'd be safe from the four stooges! They wouldn't dare try to attack her surrounded by officals, right? Without a second thought (which was perhaps her undoing, as she hadn't fully considered the consequences of the _first_ one), she darted from the alleyway straight into the middle of the parade. She heard the startled yells of her would-be kidnappers, overridden by the equally startled yells of the soldiers who now surrounded her.

"What do you think you're doing?" one of them bellowed, swiping at her with a meaty hand. She squawked and ducked away, straight into another man marching up behind her, who in turn stumbled to a halt. This immediately led to something like a domino affect as soldiers and horses alike found themselves plowing straight into the backs of the fellows ahead who suddenly weren't marching anymore.

Horses reared and whinnied as the crowds surrounding them broke into uproarious laughter at the admittedly hilarious sight of the grim-faced soldiers toppling over like sheaves of felled wheat. The laughter died a swift death, however, when one of the servants bearing the palanquin managed to trip over one of the spear shafts scattered on the street. Down he went, leaving his partner to bear their side of the heavy carriage by himself. Even with the other six men attempting to help correct the sudden shift in weight, the golden pole resting on his sweaty shoulder slipped, which dislodged the back half of the pole from the hands of those servants, as well.

In a single, horrifying moment, the entire right side of the palanquin landed on the street with a heavy crash, its golden frame crumpling like tin foil, the curtains bulging outward as whoever was inside abruptly found him(or her)self tumbling head-over-feet to the ground. There was a single, astonished yelp from amid the tangle of twisted metal and crimson velvet, and then … ominous silence.

The townspeople, having fallen into a horrified stupor at the sight of the carriage sinking like the Titanic, suddenly appeared to remember that they had Very Important Things that needed attending to _immediately_ … preferably somewhere on the _other_side of the city. Amid hushed whispers and scurrying feet, the entire crowd managed to make itself scarce in the space of a minute; even the elephant had disappeared, leaving a sea of fallen soldiers and one very shamefaced girl standing in the middle of the street, surveying the mass of pandemonium she'd single-handedly wrought.

Hunching her shoulders and attempting to make herself look as small and inconspicuous as possible, KC dredged up a timid smile for the disgruntled and very scary-looking faces of several hundred guards, all turned in her direction.

"Uhhh … oops?" she offered sheepishly.


	4. Begging for Favors

**Four  
Begging for Favors**

Given the choice between the heavily-armed guards and the four thugs in the alley, KC decided she would much rather take her chances with the thugs. Unfortunately for her, they had vanished (at least _that_ part of the plan had worked) along with the rest of the crowd, and as she was surrounded on all sides by a bristling wall of very pointy spears, she was hardly in a position to go looking for them.

"How dare you disrupt the royal procession, and how dare you attack the emperor's palanquin?" one of the soldiers (possibly the captain, if the gaudy-looking helmet he wore was any judge of rank) bellowed furiously, brandishing his sword at her. "The punishment for such insubordination is death!" The sword rose threateningly.

KC's eyes widened. _Death?_ The _emperor__'__s_ palanquin? What in the name of Peter, Paul, and Mary had she just gotten herself into? In a panic, she pointed a shaking finger at the eight servants who'd borne the palanquin (and who were now frantically attempting to disentangle its occupant), and blurted out, "Th-_they__'__re_ the ones who dropped the guy! Why aren't you threatening _them_?"

"_Silence!_" the captain roared, raising his sword and preparing to bring it down on her. KC screamed and attempted to cover her head with her arms (as if _that_ would do a lot of good), wishing with all her might to wake up from whatever nightmare she'd managed to fall into.

"_Stop!_"

The forceful command immediately halted the descent of the captain's sword. He snapped to attention and turned to face the speaker, and KC nervously peeked out from between her arms to see that the servants had managed to free the emperor, and he was now standing beside the ruined carriage, looking none the worse for wear after his impromptu tumble to the ground. He stood tall and noble in the sunlight, his embroidered crimson robes framing his figure proudly (if not slightly disheveled), and his face … almost completely obscured by what had to be the most ridiculous-looking hat KC had ever seen. She'd thought the captain's helmet was gaudy, but it paled in comparison to the emperor's crown, which resembled nothing so much as a crimson graduation cap with long, golden fringes dangling over the front rim to completely cover the man's face.

To her horror, KC felt an increasingly hysterical urge to giggle. She choked it down and, well aware that her life very much depended on her next actions, quickly dropped her gaze in a pretend show of respect.

This nearly proved to be her undoing, however, when her eyes fell upon the emperor's shoes, which were peeking out from beneath the immaculate white ruffles of his robes. She choked on another hysterical laugh, frantically disguised behind a fit of coughing. Those shoes made the emperor look, for all the world, like a duck that had broken both feet with its toes pointing straight up into the air.

The captain and several other guards were watching her suspiciously, eyes narrowed, as she continued to wheeze. "S-sorry," she managed to croak out. "Dust. From the road." She hacked a few more coughs for added effect before falling silent, carefully not looking at the emperor lest she start all over again.

"What should we do with her, Your Majesty?" the captain growled, seizing KC by the hair lest she try to bolt. She screeched in pain and grabbed the guard's wrist, trying to wrench it away; she was rewarded with a rough shake. "Look at her! I never saw clothes like these before. She must be a spy from Kutou!"

"I'm not either!" she protested, wincing as her hair was pulled again. "Ow! Stop it, you jerk! I was—_Ow!_I was being stalked by some boys in the alley and they wanted to sell me to slave traders! I just thought—_Ouch!_ Will you _let __go _of my _hair_?_—_I thought if I could hide with the guards they'd leave me alone. I didn't _mean_ to ruin your parade, honest!" She turned pleading eyes back the emperor, hoping he was a lot nicer than the stupid captain.

"Release the girl's hair, please." KC breathed a sigh of relief as she rubbed her sore scalp, glaring at the captain and fighting the urge to kick him in the shin. Mostly because she'd probably end up hurting herself more than him, what with those gold-plated boots he was wearing. The emperor stood silently for a long moment, and even though she couldn't see his face, she could feel his eyes fixed on her, studying her, considering her story. Finally, after a long moment, he gestured, and she abruptly found her arms captured in the hard grip of two more guards. "Hey!" she yelped. "What're you doing? He _said_ to let me go!"

"He said to release your hair. We have," the captain corrected smugly.

"Place the child under arrest," the emperor commanded calmly, "and bring her to the palace. We shall consider her sentencing there."

"Child!" KC yelped in outrage, struggling futilely to free her arms. "I didn't do anything! I told you it was an accident! Why're you picking on me? You should be chasing those thugs or looking for slave traders or something! Is this how you treat all the strangers going through your city? Hey! Are you listening to me? _Hey!_"

"Shut her up," the captain snapped, and in response one of the guards drew a knife from his belt and raised it, hilt-first. KC barely had time to register this action before a sharp pain exploded in the back of her skull, and she slumped forward, out cold. "Take her to the dungeon," the captain barked, and the two guards saluted and dragged the unconscious girl through the procession of soldiers.

The captain turned to face the emperor, and abruptly cringed when he realized that the man had removed his crown and had fixed him with a cool glare. "That was unnecessarily harsh," he stated in a soft, disapproving voice. "She is only a frightened girl." Without another word, he turned and summoned a servant to bring him a horse. He gracefully mounted and rode back to the palace, leaving the heavily sweating captain to clean up the mess in the street.

* * *

"Urgh…" KC slowly regained consciousness, aware of a dull ache in the back of her head and the rather unpleasant sensation of cool, damp rock under her cheek. Moaning, she slowly raised herself onto her hands and knees, blinking gritty eyes in the dim light as she tried to get her bearings. "Where am I _now_?" she mumbled, bringing a hand up to rub her aching skull. She grimaced when her fingers touched a small knot on the back of her head. "Stupid barbarian. Didn't his mother ever teach him not to hit girls? I bet he never had a date in his life."

She rose unsteadily to her feet, her eyes having adjusted enough so she could make out her surroundings. She immediately wished she couldn't, upon realizing that she was locked in a small, dark cell, with a mere slit of a window letting in a pale stream of sunlight. Mildewed straw was scattered haphazardly over the filthy stone floor, and a pile of tattered rags that were apparently supposed to serve as blankets lay in a crumpled pile in the corner. She was so cold that she actually considered wrapping one or two of them around her shoulders in hopes of gaining a bit of warmth. Slight movement within the pile, as of creatures scuttling over and through it, quickly put an end to _that_ idea.

KC sank to the floor again, her back against the chilled wall, and pressed her aching head against her drawn-up knees, allowing hot tears to run freely down her cheeks. She sat for a long time in a numb daze, cold and wet, filthy, and sore all over. She could not remember ever being so miserable in her life. Even when her parents had unexpectedly divorced three years ago, she hadn't felt as helpless as she did now. At least then she'd had Brady and Kimiko to help her through the confusion and difficulties. Here, she had nobody to rely on but herself, and herself seemed pretty useless in this situation.

She barely registered the sound when the door to the dungeon rattled and opened, and two guards appeared before her cell. "His Majesty wishes to see you. Try anything funny and you'll regret it," one of them warned as he unlocked the iron door.

"Heh. She don't look like she could do anything if she tried," the other snorted. "I wouldn't worry about her. Let's just get her upstairs, and don't hurt her; His Majesty's pretty ticked about the first knock she got."

The first guard grunted his agreement and stepped inside the cell. "Get up, girly. Time ta go."

When KC continued to ignore them, as if not even aware of their presence, they glanced at each other, then stepped forward and took her by each arm, hoisting her to her feet. _That_ got her attention, instantly snapping her out of her stupor, glancing back and forth between them through huge blue eyes.

The first guard shuddered. Whoever heard of _blue_ eyes, anyway? And that gold-striped hair, it just wasn't natural. The only blue-eyed, golden-haired people he'd ever heard of were from that heathen tribe Kutou had wiped out of existence years ago. Who was to say there weren't any survivors? It was a well-known fact the heathens had practiced dark magic. Perhaps this girl had cast a spell to save herself, or perhaps Kutou had taken her and brainwashed her into thinking Konan was the enemy, sending her to spy on or even assassinate the emperor.

"Wh-what're you doing? Where are you taking me?" The girl began to struggle weakly in their grasps. "Leave me alone!"

"Just come with us. Th' emperor wants to see you." He saw fear flash across her face. "Don't worry," he grunted. "His Majesty is a fair man. He won't be too hard on you, so long as you ain't a Kutou spy or nothin'."

"I've never even _heard_ of Kutou."

"Well, then you ain't got nothin' to worry about, do ya?"

KC gritted her teeth, dragging her feet as they pulled her from the cell and up a flight of stairs. Her legs were stiff, and she kept stumbling over her own feet. She would have fallen numerous times were it not for the guards' tight grip on her arms, but she could tell they were getting impatient with her, if the way they jerked her to her feet anytime she tripped was any indication. She wondered if they'd just eventually let her fall and drag her through the halls on her back, deciding to put more of an effort into staying upright, just in case.

At least her senses were waking up a little. Adrenalin was kicking in again, sharpening her senses and clearing the fog out of her mind. After traversing limitless number of hallways, and passing through an elaborate outdoor courtyard in which a great deal of activity was going on, KC was finally stopped before a large, ornate door. The soldier on her left knocked once and opened it; the soldier on her right pushed her rather forcefully into the room beyond. "In ya go, witch," he snapped, and then the door closed with an echoing thud behind her, leaving her alone in a very large and very lavishly furnished study.

Only she wasn't alone. She realized there was a man sitting serenely behind a large desk on the far side of the room, his hands folded on the polished wooden surface as he studied her silently. "Please come closer," he commanded after a moment, and KC immediately recognized his voice. He was the emperor. She nervously walked forward, concentrating on keeping her legs from collapsing right out from under her. Her knees felt like jello, weak and wobbly. She advanced as slowly as she dared until she reached the edge of an oriental carpet spread a few feet from his desk. She stopped dead in her tracks at that point, the emperor finally close enough to see clearly.

The first thing she noticed was that the stupid fringed hat was gone, revealing his entire face. The second thing she noticed was that he was a surprisingly young emperor, perhaps only a couple of years older than herself.

Correction. That was the _third_ thing she noticed. The second thing was that this young emperor was very, very handsome. Handsome wasn't even the right word, she decided a moment later. Handsome didn't _begin_ to cover how attractive this emperor was. Up until that moment, had anyone asked, she would have decidedly informed them that Hugh Jackman, in full Wolverine getup, was the most attractive creature ever to walk the earth (she'd always had a thing for the rebels). Even Hugh Jackman in everyday street clothes was a blessed sight for any normal, sixteen year old girl.

But _this_ guy … he made Hugh Jackman look like Donald Duck.

There were not a lot of men in the world who could be called stunningly beautiful. Most of them—Hugh Jackman included—would cheerfully beat the living crap out of anybody who dared. But this emperor was clearly not your average male homosapien.

_Are __his __eyes _golden_?_

This was, naturally, the first remarkable feature (out of a face full of them) that she noticed, since those eyes happened to still be fixed on her in a calm, unwavering gaze. Yes. They were most decidedly golden, and were surrounded by the most beautifully long, black lashes she'd ever seen. The kind of eyelashes that Brady usually spent twenty-five bucks on a tube of mascara to achieve. The kind of eyelashes most women would _kill_ to have been naturally born with.

The rest of his face wasn't so bad to look at, either. In fact, his was the kind of face that inspired famous artists to write poetry or carve marble statues in honor of Greek gods, perfectly proportioned with a straight, aristocratic nose set above a firm, sensual mouth. His skin was smooth and completely unblemished; KC was willing to bet it had ever been touched by a pimple in its entire life. His hair was pulled into a severe bun, with a silky fringe hanging enticingly over his broad forehead. She took a moment trying to decide its exact color. At first, it looked like common brown, a bit lighter than her own hair. But then he tilted his head just so, and the sunlight streaming in through an arched entrance off to the left caught and instantly transformed the strands into glowing silver. Not the white-gray of Mrs. Potter's hair, but an amazing, rich, dark shade like polished pewter.

Everything about this person was a harmony of both masculine and feminine beauty, the sort of physical perfection that seemed more fantasy than reality. But there he sat, watching KC watch him, and his eyes held a certain amount of amusement as he patiently waited for her to finish her study of him. Once she realized this, she hastily dropped her gaze to the floor, blushing heavily. She was irritated to find that her heart had started pounding against her ribcage. Cute guys always had that affect on her, and unlike Brady, who pretty much had flirting down to a fine art, _she_ always managed to turn herself into a stuttering, tongue-tied dork when it came to dealing with the members of the opposite sex. Needless to say, this handicap didn't help her win any brownie points with the boys. Swallowing around her dry tongue, she not-so-subtly wiped her sweaty palms against her thighs and waited for the emperor to make the next move.

"May We ask your name?"

The Imperial We? This _was_ serious.

The emperor's voice, like the rest of him, was regal and commanding, yet somehow gentle as the deep, silky tones rippled over KC's senses, making her shiver just slightly. His voice was just as beautiful as his face. A man this perfect should be illegal, she decided as she shifted from foot to foot, a nervous habit from childhood she'd never been able to break. "K-Katriana Choinski, Sir … um … Majesty," she stuttered. "P-people mostly just call me KC."

The emperor nodded. "We are Saihitei Seishuku, although We are better known as Hotohori." He gestured to a wooden chair pulled up to the desk with one slim, elegant hand. "Well … KC. Would you care to sit down?"

KC glanced at the chair, considered refusing for a moment, then decided it'd be in her best interest to obey. Mostly because she wasn't sure how much longer she could stay upright. Moving like a jerky, wooden puppet, she took those final steps toward the armchair and dropped into it with an ungraceful plop. She twisted her hands into the hem of her shirt, met the emperor's gaze with all the courage she could muster (which admittedly wasn't very much), and waited.

A slight smile touched the emperor's lips as he turned his attention to the desk before him. Or, more specifically, to what was _on_ the desk before him. He idly paged through a book as KC looked on, and it slowly dawned on her that he was flipping through her trigonometry textbook. She blinked, then blinked again as she realized, for the first time, that the entire contents of her backpack were spread in careful order across the surface of his desk. The pack itself was on the floor beside it. Her quilted velvet purse was folded neatly at one corner; its contents were also on display. Her jaw dropped as fear slowly melted under burning indignation. If there was one thing she couldn't tolerate, it was such a blatant invasion of privacy.

"Hey!" she protested. "That's my stuff!" She would have leaped to her feet had she been able to stand. All she could do was turn an accusing glare on the man responsible. "Who said you had any right to go looking through all my stuff, huh? That's just rude!"

The man actually had the gall to smile at her, looking more amused than ever, like a parent watching the ridiculous tantrum their three-year-old was throwing over a broken toy. "This … _stuff__ … _is very interesting, KC," he replied calmly. "We have never seen its like. Perhaps you might explain to Us what some of it is?"

She scowled at him, suspecting a trap. And this "We" business was becoming annoying. He picked up the book he'd been paging through and offered it to her. "Our advisers are convinced this odd scroll is filled with magic symbols and evil spells. The writing is unlike any we have seen before."

"Magic?" KC released a nervous laugh, deciding to play along. For now. "No offense, but your advisers are a bunch of superstitious ninnies. It's just my trigonometry textbook. You know, mathematics? There's nothing magical about it." She paused to consider for a moment. "Have to agree with the 'evil' part, though. _Hate_ math."

He nodded, still smiling, and set it aside. He then picked up one of her English textbooks. "Grammatical primer," she said. "Basics of the English language. Again, very non-magical." She pointed to the third textbook. "World History, the evil class that got me into this whole mess in the first place."

Hotohori put the book down, only to pick up her digital camera; last year's Christmas present from her mom. "And this odd device?"

"That's a camera. You take pictures with it."

"Pictures?" he asked.

"Yeah, like this." She reached out to pluck the camera from his hand, turned it on and aimed it at him. "Smile!" She pressed the shutter and the flash went off, eliciting a startled gasp from her subject, who hastily backed away. "Relax. I didn't steal your _soul_or anything. It's just an image," she snorted, turning the camera around to show him the picture of himself with an extremely surprised expression written all over his beautiful face. His mouth parted in astonishment. "Th-that is _me_!" he gasped. "It is like a mirror reflection … or a portrait."

"Something like that. You're pretty photogenic," she said, examining the picture. "Well, you would be if you didn't have that slightly-freaked-out expression on your face." She smiled faintly as she glanced at him. "Can I have this back now? It was _really_ kind of expensive, and Mom'll have my gizzard for garters if it breaks."

His brow furrowed at the expression, but he nodded and she picked up her purse and began shoving contents back into it. Seeing his obvious curiosity, she began explaining each object she picked up. "This is just my wallet, no magic there. Or money, for that matter."

She noticed an open scroll spread before him, with an ink block and calligraphy brush next to it. She picked up her next object. "This is a ballpoint pen. It's a writing instrument. It uses ink, but writes much more smoothly than a brush, and it doesn't stain your fingers up." She demonstrated on a scrap of notebook paper, writing out his name in English letters, as close as she could spell it, anyway.

"Fascinating," he breathed, taking it from her and sketching out a few foreign characters of his own. "What a wonderful instrument this is!"

KC couldn't help but be charmed by his fascination with such a simple thing as a Bic pen. He was like a little kid on Christmas morning, finding a puppy under the tree or something. "You can have it, if you want," she told him, generously. "I've got more and pens are a dime a dozen where I come from."

"I thank you for your gift," he replied formally, bowing slightly as he placed it reverently next to the ink block.

At least, she noted, he'd stopped talking about himself in the plural. That was encouraging, right? For the first time, she realized she might be looking at a chance to bribe her way out of this situation. Maybe if she offered him enough incentive, he'd be willing to overlook that little accident in the street and let her go, maybe even help her find her way home again. As an emperor, he probably had everything his heart desired. Luckily, she seemed to possess things that nobody in this country had ever seen before. She still wasn't sure where she was, but she was pretty certain it was no longer in her own, modern world. Maybe—and this was making more and more sense the longer she thought about it—she was actually _inside_ the book, inside whatever world had been created there. Maybe it wasn't just some kind of a portal, sucking her in one end and shooting her out the other. Maybe it was actually a whole other alternate _dimension_.

If only she'd paid more attention to Star Trek while growing up; she remembered they were always talking about things like space-time continuum and worm holes. That sort of sci-fi mumbo-jumbo would have come in handy right now.

She sighed and picked up her Trig book, relieved to note that the water hadn't done too much damage to its pages. All of her textbooks seemed fine enough … except for her art sketchbook, which hadn't been so lucky. It must have been on the bottom of the pile, and therefore had taken the most water damage. She scowled as she peeled the wet pages apart, looking with dismay at her ruined sketches. "Aw, man. I _liked_ this one. It was my best yet," she grumbled, flipping to the last page, which depicted a water-logged sketch of an old man bending over a stone table, concentrating on a checkers board. A little girl sat on the other side of the table, stretching to reach the pieces on the board. KC had used all of her concentration and skill to capture the scene precisely, and was proud of how it turned out. She'd been planning on turning it in for some extra credit, with the hopes that it would also be put on display in the student gallery in the lobby.

"May I ask you a question?"

"Okay, shoot."

He blinked at her.

"Ask away," she amended, seeing his confusion. _Guess __I'm__ gonna __have __to __start __thinking__ about how I word stuff around here__..._

"These things … why do you carry them? What is their purpose?" He touched the English book.

Her brow furrowed. "Well, they're my school textbooks. I have to carry them with me so I can study from them."

"You attend school?" He seemed surprised by that.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, I get it. Women probably don't attend school in this world, but in mine, it's a requirement for _all_ kids to get educated, no matter what their gender is."

"What do you mean, 'this world' and 'mine'?" he interrupted. His gaze fixed intently on her face, eyes sharp with sudden interest.

She hesitated. "Um…"

"Do you mean to tell me that you've come here from another _world_?" he pressed.

"Well…"

"How did you come to be here?"

"Look," she blurted, "I don't _know_ where I am exactly or how I got here, okay? All I was trying to do was find information for a stupid homework assignment, and I found this little red book with Chinese writing on it. I figured maybe it'd help me out, so I opened it up and _bam_! There was this bright red light and next thing I know I'm getting sucked into the damned thing and pooped out the other side." She shivered and hugged herself violently. "You'll have to forgive me if I'm just a _little_ freaked out about that. Where I come from, books usually don't make a habit out of _eating _people."

Hotohori didn't appear to be listening. Rather, he was rising from his chair, his face taking on a delighted smile as he circled around to kneel beside KC, resting his long, elegant hands on her shoulders. "So, you're truly from another world!" he exclaimed, his face taking on that excited-little-kid expression again. "This is _wonderful_! I knew I was right about you!" In his excitement, he squeezed her shoulders, his face moving even closer.

KC's gaze darted around uncomfortably, too embarrassed to meet his eyes. She was practically burrowing into the back of her chair to get some space, but the man obviously had _no_ sense of personal boundaries. Any closer, and they'd be locking lips. "Y-you were right about what?" she squeaked, hastily ridding her mind of some very inappropriate ideas.

"KC, have you ever heard of The Universe of the Four Gods?"

"Erm … no?"

His smile gentled, as he explained, "It tells the legend of a girl who would come from another world to save Konan during a time of extreme crisis. By summoning forth the holy protector, Suzaku, the beast deity of the Southern realm, she shall harness his divine power by becoming Priestess of Suzaku, and therefore shall save Konan from harm and bring peace to the land."

"That's a very nice fairytale. What's it got to do with me?"

"Not a fairytale," he replied. "A prophesy. One which is about to come to pass."

KC felt her stomach lurch, like she'd just taken a plunge off the top of the largest hill on a roller coaster … magnified about a hundred times.

"For several months now, rumors have been spreading of troops amassing in force along Konan's eastern borders; it is believed that Kutou is preparing to wage a war on this country," he explained.

"Okay, _wait_," KC commanded, cutting him off. "Would you please tell me who this Kutou person is? I've already been accused of being a spy for him, but I've never even _heard_ of this guy before!"

Hotohori smiled grimly. "Please forgive my oversight. Kutou is not a person, but rather a place; our neighboring country to the east, to be precise. Unlike Konan, which is a peaceful empire, Kutou is warlike and constantly seeking ways to overthrow its neighboring countries. Its army is powerful and ruthless, much more powerful than Konan is able to withstand. With more troops brought in from outside sources, I fear that, should the rumors prove true and Kutou attacks us, we will not be able to defend ourselves and will be overtaken." He removed his hands from her shoulders and rose to his feet, striding to his desk and picking up a red, cylindrical object. KC realized it was an ancient-looking scroll.

"This is The Universe of the Four Gods," he explained as he presented it to her.

She gingerly took it, noting the writing was in Chinese characters. "I can't read this," she told him. "I don't know how I can speak your language, or you can speak mine, or whatever, but when it comes to reading it, it's all gibberish." Still, she fingered the scroll, turning it over in her hands until she came across an elaborate design stamped into the red wax sealing it shut. Curiously, she examined it more closely, then abruptly yelped and flung it back at Hotohori. "Keep that thing away from me!" she cried.

He looked completely flabbergasted at her sudden fright. "What in the world is the matter? Are you all right?"

"No. No, I am _not _all right," she snapped. "I recognize that bird! That stupid book had the same image, the one that sucked me in here!"

"_So,_" Hotohori breathed, his features again taking on the glow of eager excitement as he knelt before her and took her cold hands into his own, gripping them tightly. She stared at their joined hands with no small amount of surprise, flushing darkly. "The red light," he continued, unaware of her discomfort. "It could only have been Suzaku's divine light." To her astonishment, he raised her hand to his lips and pressed a reverent kiss to the back of it. "There is no longer any doubt in my mind, KC," he murmured, gazing at her through lidded eyes. "You _are_ the one we have been waiting for. The Girl of Legend. Please, We would ask of you, as Emperor … will you become the Priestess of Suzaku, and save Konan from Kutou's greedy hands?"


	5. Wherein She Embarrasses Herself, Again

**Five  
****Wherein She Embarrasses Herself (Again)**

KC was almost certain she'd heard wrong. She stared at Hotohori for a long, silent moment, until her brain finally caught up with his words; she immediately began shaking her head, attempting to withdraw her hands from his firm grip. "Wait a min—You think _I__'__m_ this … this Girl of Legend?" she sputtered. "No, no. Look, you've _definitely_ got the wrong person here. I'm no priestess! I … I was just supposed to do research for a homework assignment! It was a total accident I stumbled across that book. A-and it's not like I can actually _stay_ here or anything."

He studied her silently for a moment. "And so, you do not wish to possess the power of Suzaku? Do you understand that with this power, you would have anything your heart ever desired?"

She eyed him suspiciously. "And what does 'anything' mean?"

He smiled, squeezing her hands. "I mean only that you would have the power to rule the world, if you so wished."

"So, what, he grants wishes?"

"Yes. Any wish your heart desires."

"Well, I don't wish to rule the world, that's for sure. I hate politics."

His lips quirked. "Then what _do_ you wish for?"

"To go _home_, for starters. If I wished for that, then he'd take me there?"

"No doubt." His tone was dry, his expression amused at the sudden hope in her voice. "Although, I _would_ ask that you put Konan's safety above everything else. After that, you are free to ask for whatever else you choose."

"Right, right. So, how long would this take? A day? Two maybe?"

He looked decidedly uncomfortable. "KC, it is not so simple as all that," he explained carefully. "There is much involved in becoming the Priestess and summoning Suzaku. A mere few days would not be adequate to complete such a mission."

"So then what _would_ be?"

"A … few weeks, perhaps. Maybe even months. There are—"

"_Months!_" she screeched. "I can't stay here for months! Nobody knows where I am! They'll think I was kidnapped or murdered or something!" She jammed her fingers into her hair. "Isn't there some other way for me to get home? Wait, how about the scroll? If you opened it and aimed it at me, wouldn't it do the same thing as the book? Suck me in and drop me off in my own world?"

He frowned slightly. "The scroll is only a retelling of the Legend, with instructions on what must be done when the Priestess is found. The copy in your world—indeed, if it is the very same—most likely has the sole purpose of bringing the Priestess to this one. It seems unlikely that you could so easily be returned before you've succeeded in fulfilling your duties."

"Then … then some other way. Magic is real here, right? Can't you find some wizard or magician or something to voodoo me back home again?"

"KC, there is no other way."

"There has to be! How am I expected to act as a priestess? I've never even _heard_ of Suzaku before. Isn't that, like, sacrilegious or something?"

"The Priestess has always been chosen and brought from the other world. I do not pretend to understand the reason for this."

"Oh, well, it seems obvious enough to _me_. Suzaku is probably really bored and gets his kicks by completely screwing up the lives of perfectly innocent girls who would otherwise have _absolutely __nothing __to __do_ with whatever problems you people are having!"

Hotohori was beginning to look a bit exasperated, but even as he opened his mouth to contradict her, he was interrupted by an explosion of sneezes and coughs that caused KC to double over where she sat. She wheezed for awhile, wiping her streaming eyes as she scrabbled around for the crumpled pack of tissues she'd stuffed into her purse. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Hotohori looked her over, his brow knitting as he took full notice of the condition his unwilling guest was in. Her strange clothes were filthy and looked damp; her thin, lace shirt was stained badly and torn in several places. Her hair was a tangled mess, and she was pale and shivering. She looked miserable, and guilt gnawed at him for not having had the foresight to make sure she was properly taken care of before interrogating her. His excitement of the Legend finally coming to pass had, apparently, forced all thoughts of common hospitality out of his head. No wonder she was so unwilling to listen to him.

He called in a servant and spoke a few low words. The servant bowed and scurried off. He turned back to KC, sighing heavily and resting a hand on her head. "Forgive me," he murmured, stroking his hand over her hair. "It seems my manners have forsaken me in my eagerness to learn the truth. Clearly you are in discomfort, which I have ignored so I might satisfy my own curiosity."

She blinked up at him, as surprised by the apology as she was by the unexpected touch.

"There is a room prepared for you. I have asked for a meal to be brought to you, and clean clothes. Please, take care of yourself, eat, have some proper rest. This conversation can continue at another time." He drew her to her feet and led her from the room, one arm draped around her shoulders as he walked beside her. His voluminous sleeve trailed down her back like a cloak, warming her comfortably. Several servants in the hallway stopped working at the sight of them, then began speaking in hushed whispers once they had passed. The emperor ignored them, but KC blushed darkly, imagining what kinds of rumors had just been started.

They traversed several hallways before Hotohori stopped before a certain door. "This is your room. My own chambers are not far away, just down the next hall. If there is something you need, or if you wish to speak to me about anything at all, please seek me out at any time." He opened the door, revealing a spacious, beautifully furnished chamber beyond. It was easily large enough to fit an entire apartment in there; an alcove draped with gauzy red curtains revealed a large, comfortable-looking bed that KC could hardly wait to dive into.

"I-is all this … for me?" she breathed, gazing around through wide eyes.

"Indeed," Hotohori replied, a hint of a smile creeping into his voice. "It is only suitable for one as honored as the Priestess."

She glanced up at him, a frown pulling at her lips, but he held up his hand to ward off any oncoming arguments.

"Never mind all of that now. The room is yours to use. Do you find it to your liking?"

"Well, it sure beats the dungeon," she murmured, stepping inside for a better look around. She didn't see his flinch, and jumped when his hand came to rest on her head again, sliding down until his fingers found the small knot at the base of her skull.

"Does it hurt much?" he asked softly. "Where you were struck?"

"Oh, uh, not so much anymore," she stammered, shivering at the feel of his fingers running lightly over her neck through the fine hair that grew there.

He sighed. "Striking you in such a manner is unforgivable. Even if you were not … a guest, it is still unpardonable. I shall have the guard punished for it."

"Oh, don't do that. He was a jerk but he was only doing his job, wasn't he?"

His smile was warm. "You are most gracious, Your Eminence."

She fixed him with another suspicious stare, which he returned blithely, before bowing and stepping out of the room. "Please, rest well, and in the morning we shall continue our conversation."

KC closed the door, and leaned back against it, staring blindly off into space as she tried to make sense of her latest situation. A sudden knock, right at the level of her ear, jerked her out of her reverie; she released a startled squeal and nearly jumped out of her own skin as she scrambled away from the door, which opened to reveal a servant bearing a tray laden with food and a rather startled expression. "I-is everything all right, Your Eminence?" he asked cautiously as he stepped into the room.

"Oh, no, I'm fine," she stuttered, rubbing her head sheepishly.

"I've brought your meal, Your Eminence," he replied, setting the tray down on a table.

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Excuse me?" He looked at her, confused.

"'Your Eminence'. Why do you keep calling me that?"

"W-well, how else shall I address you? Would you prefer to be addressed as Priestess?"

"Huh?" She blinked. "But—No, I'm not—That is, I haven't actually _agreed_ to become this Suzaku Priestess yet."

"She is called _Priestess _of _Suzaku_," he replied stiffly, sounding mightily offended. "I was not aware there was a choice involved. When she arrives in this land, she is already chosen."

"Whatever," KC muttered, eyeballing the tray hungrily. "Can I eat now?"

He bowed and stepped back as KC plopped into the chair. She grimaced when she saw a pair of chopsticks. She wasn't very good with chopsticks. The many times she'd eaten at Chinese restaurants with her mom and friends hadn't helped her improve her skills, either, although she was sure she'd kept the waiters much entertained with her poor attempts at trying. She glanced at the man, who seemed quite content to stand there and observe.

She sighed, and dug in.

Or ... tried to, anyway. But she couldn't force herself to take the first bite. She wasn't very fond of fish, but she could tolerate it if it was cooked well. What she could not tolerate, however, was the entire fish_—_head, tail, and all—laid open on a bed of lettuce, its dead eyes fixed right on hers.

"Um, excuse me," she called, feeling a bit silly as she beckoned the servant over. "Uh … I really appreciate the meal and I don't want to sound ungrateful but…" She trailed off.

"Is there a problem with your meal, Your Eminence?" The servant's tone suggested that there had better _not_ be; KC really hoped he wasn't the kind of server who spit in people's food for revenge when they complained the soup was too cold or something.

"Well, I'm sure it tastes fine. It's just … I can't bring myself to eat something that's … that's _staring_ at me. I feel like I'm violating it or something."

"The fish is cooked. I assure you, it is quite dead and cannot see what you are doing to it." The servant's voice was as dry as the Sahara.

"I know. But, do you suppose it's possible to get one without a head?" she asked timidly.

In response, he picked up a boning knife beside the plate, hauled back, and brought it down with a thwack, cleaving the head with one blow. KC's stomach turned over, and she barely managed to swallow back the dry-heave that threatened to follow. "Thank you," she choked.

The servant grunted, swiped up the fish head and turned to stomp out of the room.

* * *

There is nothing more terrifying than waking up in the middle of the night, for some unknown reason, and find oneself lying in a strange bed in an entirely unfamiliar bedroom.

KC discovered this the hard way when she suddenly jerked awake, her heart pounding, her mind dizzy with sleep and the broken, swiftly-fading fragments of a dream. She felt as though she was suffocating; in her panicked struggle to untangle herself from the sheets twisted in a stranglehold around her legs, she managed to fall out of the bed and onto the floor with a heavy thud and a pained yelp.

"Ow," she grunted, struggling to right herself, a rather difficult task considering her top half was sprawled on the floor and her bottom half was still wound in the silken sheets on the bed, her tangled feet stretching awkwardly into the air. "Well, _that_ was graceful," she grumbled, leaning on her abused elbows and glaring at the offending linens. Huffing, she let herself fall onto her back again and stared up at the shadowed ceiling. The strangeness of the room was fading now; she began to remember where she was, and she frowned. "It wasn't a dream," she mumbled. "I'm actually here."

Sharp voices from outside her room alerted her that she was about to have visitors, just before the door burst open and several men rushed into the room, weapons drawn and lanterns held high. KC yelled in alarm, for a moment believing she was under attack, until she recognized the uniforms of the palace guards. "A-are you alright, Your Eminence?" one of them questioned uncertainly, staring at her long and hard in a manner that made her rather uncomfortable.

"Just fine and dandy," she muttered. "Nothin' to worry about here. Y'all are doing a fine job of guarding. Can you maybe get back to it now?"

"What is happening? Has there been an attack?" Hotohori's deep voice was both commanding and worried, and the guards stepped aside to allow him through into the room.

Despite her rather embarrassing situation, KC found herself gaping up at the emperor, who had knelt beside her and was examining her with a mixture of amusement and concern. His hair had been freed of its constraints and rippled down … and down … over his shoulders and back in a silken fall that reached his waist. She'd never seen hair that long on a man before, or many women, for that matter. The emperor had been beautiful before, but he was completely breathtaking now. With a little makeup and the right clothes, he'd make one hell of a gorgeous cross-dresser.

Of course, no one could mistake him for a woman in his current attire. He wore a white silk robe much like the one KC had been given to wear, which tied at the waist and gaped open to reveal a goodly expanse of nicely-muscled, _very_ non-feminine chest.

Managing to reassemble what was left of her wits (_Stop _staring _at __him __already, __you __dingbat!_), she forced an embarrassed little smile to her lips. "Um, there's a perfectly logical explanation for this. Really. See, I had this dream—At least I think it was a dream—and when I woke up, the sheets were attacking my legs, and I kind of fell out of the bed," she mumbled sheepishly. "But I'm fine! Nothing broken but my dignity." Her gaze darted past the silent emperor to the equally silent guards, who were still openly gaping at her. "Um … why do they keep staring at me like that?" she whispered.

Hotohori immediately turned and leveled a quelling glare at the soldiers. "All is well. You may return to your posts now," he snapped.

The guards saluted and hastily filed out of the room, casting lingering glances at the priestess, who was currently being shielded by the emperor. "What was that about?" she muttered peevishly. "It's not like I'm the only person who ever fell out of a bed before. Sheesh!"

Hotohori turned to face her again, looking uncomfortable, almost embarrassed. His cheeks were faintly pink. "KC, your robe … um…" He trailed off and gestured briefly at her neckline, carefully keeping his eyes averted.

She frowned and glanced down at herself, abruptly yelped, and grabbed the gaping edges of the robe to yank them tight across her body, her face turning six different shades of red. "Right," she squeaked, completely mortified. "_Boy_ am I glad I left my bra on." She thumped her head on the floor, covering her face with her hands. "Has anybody ever heard of _pajamas_ in this place?"

She gave another squeak when a strong, warm arm slipped under her back, another beneath her knees, and Hotohori lifted her into his embrace. She blinked at him in bewilderment, marveling at the feeling of being cradled in a man's arms. It had been a long time since anyone had held her like that. The last person had been her father, when she'd fallen out of a tree and broken her leg, and she'd only been ten years old at the time. That was back when they had all been happy. Before her dad had decided he'd had enough of the family life.

The moment was short-lived as Hotohori gently deposited KC back onto the bed, sitting beside her and helping her untangle the stubborn sheets. She self-consciously pulled her robe further down her legs, figuring she'd given the poor guy enough of a peep show for one night. "Um, sorry for making everyone panic," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

His golden eyes glowed rich and deep in the candlelight. "There is nothing you need apologize for. I was already awake, in truth."

"Really?" She eyed him suspiciously. "Are you sure you aren't just saying that to make me feel better? It's still dark out!"

He smiled reassuringly. "Dawn isn't far away. I rise at this time every morning to prepare for the day."

"Seriously? I figured with you being the emperor and all, you'd be allowed to sleep in until noon or something."

He laughed softly. "Unfortunately, it is _because_ I am emperor that I have little time for rest. My days begin very early, and end very late. The country cannot run itself, after all."

"That doesn't seem very healthy. Don't you ever get a day off?"

He tilted his head playfully. "An odd concept, that. I'm afraid I've never heard of such a thing." His eyes glinted with humor and she found herself smiling back. His expression softened as he regarded her, and he reached out to gently brush a few strands of hair from her eyes, which widened in astonishment as her face reddened. She looked decidedly nervous, and he tilted his head curiously, a small smile touching his lips. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

"No, not at all!"

Her blush darkened at his disbelieving look. "Well, yeah, I guess you kind of do. It's just I'm not used to guys being so _friendly_, that's all," she mumbled. "Handsome men make me nervous. And you're … _really_ handsome." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and shyly dropped her gaze to her lap.

Hotohori smiled, squeezing her hand. "Yes, people always say so," he agreed. "I _am_ very beautiful. It is hard not to notice."

She met his gaze, surprised; she wondered if he was teasing, but he certainly _looked_ serious enough. So he was a narcissist, huh? Well, she supposed he had to have at least _one_ fault to balance out all that perfection. He wouldn't be human, otherwise.

"As we're both awake now, perhaps you would like to join me in my chambers for an early breakfast?" Hotohori suggested.

At the mention of food, KC's stomach released a long, loud grumble. She hastily clapped both arms over her offending belly. "Yeah, guess I'm a bit hungry," she muttered as his shoulders shook with silent laughter. "But, before that, would it be too much trouble to ask for … well … I _really_ want a proper bath," she admitted. "I'm itchy and my hair feels gross and who knows what kind of dirt I picked up in the street and that cell and—"

He held up a hand to silence her and smiled. "I'll send a maidservant to tend you," he replied. "I should have done so last night, but you looked exhausted, so it seemed best to let you sleep before anything else. When you've finished, she may show you to my apartments."

"Thanks," she replied. "Oh, and as for my clothes, I don't suppose it's possible to have them fixed, is it? My shirt is all torn up. I don't know if it can be sewn, but it cost me a lot of money so I don't want to just throw it out. Besides, I don't have any other clothes with me."

He seemed surprised. "You shall of course be provided with clothes and anything else you need during your stay here."

"Oh, no, you don't have to be so generous," she protested. "I don't want to seem like a mooch or anything."

He seemed to find the word amusing. "A … mooch, you say?" He smiled whimsically.

"It's what you call someone who takes advantage of another person's generosity, and doesn't do anything to pay them back. I don't have any way to pay you back."

His smile deepened. "If you insist on 'paying me back', then perhaps you might reconsider my request to become the Priestess. Becoming the savior of this land would be more than enough payment. We would be entirely in your debt." He rose from the bed and stood gazing down at her. "I'll send a maidservant to you shortly, and she will see to all of your needs while you are here. When you finish bathing and dressing, please join me to break fast in my chambers." He turned to leave.

"Thank you," she called after him, and then he was gone.


	6. Between a Rock & a Frying Pan

**Six  
****Between a Rock & a Frying Pan**

The maidservant Hotohori sent was called Mei Lin, a small, slender girl only two years younger than KC. She had ebony eyes and glossy black hair that fell in a straight line to the small of her back. She was pretty, well-mannered, and obviously nervous about being called on to serve the Girl of Legend. KC was just slightly irritated about that. "Um, you know, it's _really_ not necessary to call me 'Your Eminence'," she repeated for the fourth time as Mei Lin fluttered around her like a terrified bird. "I haven't actually _agreed_ to become this Priestess yet and—Sorry, but could you maybe stand still for like _two__seconds_? You're making me dizzy just watching you."

Mei Lin immediately stopped her pacing, bowing low to the ground. "Please forgive me, Your Eminence," she replied timidly.

KC shook her head and sighed. "Right. We'll work on it. In the meantime, I'd like a bath, and a change of clothes. And I'm supposed to go meet Hotoho—I mean, His Majesty for breakfast." The expression on Mei Lin's face made her realize she ought not address the emperor by name in anyone's presence except his own. She didn't want to be held responsible for giving anyone an aneurism over such a blatant lack of formality, which Mei Lin appeared to be on the verge of having. "So ... about that bath?" she prompted.

"Yes, please come with me," the girl replied, bowing as she led KC out of the room.

The bath turned out to be a small, tiled swimming pool, filled with gently-steaming water, decorated with lilies and lotus blossoms floating on its surface. The room looked like a pagoda, open-aired and shielded by woven bamboo screens, lit by candles and colorful lanterns. Incense hung sweet and cloying in the air. A row of ladies-in-waiting stood at attention, various bathing supplies in their hands. They bowed formally when KC entered. "Please allow us to serve you," one of them said, and they all moved toward her and began tugging at her clothes.

"W-wait!" she yelped, struggling to hold onto her robe. "I can do this just fine on my own!"

"But we are here to serve you," another replied, sounding reproachful.

"I've been bathing myself since I was four years old. Trust me, I don't think I'll need any help."

"We shall be scolded if we do not do our jobs."

"I promise I won't tell if you won't!"

The women were frowning at her with obvious disapproval.

"Your Eminence, please allow them to do their jobs," Mei Lin pleaded. "It is improper that the Priestess should bathe herself!"

"But I keep telling you I'm _not_ the—_Yeep!_" KC abruptly found herself sans-clothes, being herded by no less than five women toward the pool of water, and nearly shoved into it. Once there, she found herself being attacked by five pairs of hands that proceeded to lather, scrub, rinse, repeat, and buff her to within an inch of her life. She quickly found that protesting did no good; all it earned her were several mouthfuls of rather vile-tasting, soapy water. Within ten minutes she was being hauled from the pool, wrapped in a soft white bath sheet, and herded back to her room, where Mei Lin was waiting with a change of fresh clothes.

The door shut behind her, leaving her blinking in complete bewilderment. "Uh … what just happened?"

Mei Lin giggled despite herself. "They are very efficient at their job."

KC frowned and examined herself. "I guess I should be glad I still have all my skin attached. I feel so violated."

"Shall I dress you, now? You mustn't keep His Majesty waiting."

"Er, I'd rather dress myself, if it's all the same to you." KC picked up one of the garments and shook it out. It turned out to be a rather elaborate robe. She frowned and picked up another. A second robe, slightly less elaborate. "Um…"

"Do you need help?" Mei Lin asked innocently.

"I need my own clothes. What happened to them?"

"They have been discarded."

"_Discarded? _You _threw __out_ my _clothes_?" KC gaped at her, incredulous. "That lace shirt cost me seventy-five dollars! And don't even _ask_ how much those jeans were! Do you _know_ how much money that is to a teenager who has no job and gets a lousy twenty-five bucks a month for an allowance? That was half a year's savings right there! And I only got to wear it twice!"

"I-I'm sorry." Mei Lin's face crumpled as her eyes filled with tears. "P-please, Your Eminence, d-do not be angry. I-I was going to wash them, b-but Lady Kourin insisted that y-you would prefer new things, as is befitting your sta-station. Sh-she told me to throw the others aw-away."

KC calmed her temper with some effort. She hadn't meant to make the kid _cry_. "Okay, stop crying. Sorry I yelled," she muttered. "Who's this Lady Kourin person?"

"Sh-she was m-my former mistress, Y-Your Eminence. I s-served her before I was assigned to y-you."

"She told you to throw out my things?"

"Sh-she was v-very insistent on the matter."

KC pursed her lips. This Kourin person was likely a courtier or something, maybe a nasty one used to getting her own way. If she had made life miserable for Mei Lin, it'd certainly explain why Mei Lin was so terrified of displeasing KC now. "Look, Mei Lin, are you still serving Lady Kourin?"

"N-no, Your Eminence." Mei Lin mopped at her eyes with her sleeve, sniffling a bit. "I am assigned exclusively to you, now."

"So you don't have to listen to _her_ anymore, right? If she tells you something like that again, just come and ask me about it. I'll tell you whether it's okay. Right?"

"L-Lady Kourin will be angry if I disobey her."

"Lady Kourin doesn't really have a say in the matter. If she bullies you, come tell me and I'll complain to Hoto—I mean, His Majesty on your behalf, okay? _He'll_ set her straight."

"Y-you would do that?" Mei Lin regarded her, wide-eyed.

"Sure. I mean, how can you help me out properly if she keeps bullying you and stressing you out?"

"L-Lady Kourin does not truly _bully_ me. She is just … very particular about how she likes things," Mei Lin explained carefully. "She can be very nice. Sometimes."

KC smiled. "Well, anyway, show me how to get into this thing, and then go try and salvage my clothes from wherever they were taken. Can you do that?"

"Yes, Your Eminence."

"And, Mei Lin, I _promise_ I won't get mad if you just call me KC. Really! Go ahead; give it a try!"

"K-K-Lady KC?"

KC huffed a laugh. "I guess it'll do."

* * *

Mei Lin helped KC into no less than three layers of clothes, explaining how each robe was tied and which layer went where. By the time she'd finished, KC felt as trussed up as a Christmas turkey. "Well, this is great," she muttered, attempting to shake the too-long sleeves away from her hands. "Can you tell me how I'm supposed to actually _walk_ in this getup without falling on my face?"

"Tread lightly," Mei Lin advised, a teasing smile on her face.

KC rolled her eyes. "Oh, thank you. I feel _so_ much more confident now."

Mei Lin actually giggled, and KC gave herself a mental pat on the back for finally getting the girl to lighten up a bit. She combed through her hair and tied it into a loose bun. She added a pair of red and gold hair sticks for decoration, and slipped on a pair of silk slippers. She examined herself in the mirror, pulling a sour face at her reflection. "I guess this is as good as it's gonna get. Okay. Take me to your leader."

Mei Lin led the way to Hotohori's quarters, which really were a lot closer than KC had thought they'd be. There was a guard outside the door, to which Mei Lin bowed and explained, "I have brought the Priestess of Suzaku. His Majesty is expecting her."

The guard stepped aside, his face expressionless. KC took a deep breath as she opened the large, ornate door leading into the emperor's chambers. Her jaw dropped. If she thought _her_ room was lavish, it was nothing next to the extravagance of the emperor's apartments. She gaped for a moment as the door closed behind her, looking around in wide-eyed wonder. An immense bed commanded attention in the center of the room; blanketed in cream and scarlet linens, strewn with satin pillows and cushions, enclosed by gauzy drapery hanging from the ceiling, it was truly a bed fit for an emperor.

Elaborate tapestries, rugs, statues, and vases decorated the room with subtle elegance. A golden trunk, etched with images of Suzaku, rested at the foot of the bed. A large wardrobe stood against the wall beside a dressing table. There were also mirrors. Lots and _lots_ of mirrors. Probably more mirrors than was healthy for a grown man to own, KC thought with amusement. He really _did_ have a vanity complex, didn't he?

Shaking her head wryly, she continued her inspection. She noted various doorways leading into more rooms, all equally splendid in decoration. A set of doors hung open invitingly, leading outside to a marble terrace, where a small table and two chairs had been set up. The emperor himself occupied one of these chairs, quietly sipping from a cup and gazing over the sprawling palace grounds. The dawning sun made his flowing hair and the profile of his perfect face glow with radiance. He looked like an angel sitting there; all he lacked were wings.

KC felt her heart start to pound as his astonishing beauty struck her all over again, and she gritted her teeth and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. _Relax. __You__'__ve __gotta __get __used __to __him __sometime, _she told herself sternly. _You__'__ll __never __be __able __to __talk __to __him __if __you __keep __acting __like __such __a __complete __spaz! _Forcing a smile to her lips, she carefully made her way out to the balcony, always mindful of the too-long skirts that threatened to trip her at any given moment. Hotohori didn't appear to realize she was there. He seemed deep in thought, and she hesitated to interrupt whatever matter he was pondering.

The demands of the stomach, however, were far more insistent than her common courtesy. The table was cluttered with a number of platters bearing a variety of food, all of which issued mouth-watering aromas that enticed her stomach into releasing a long, low growl of hunger. Hastily crossing her arms over her complaining belly, KC nervously cleared her throat and waited for him to acknowledge her.

Hotohori jumped slightly, turning his head to blink at her before a wide smile crossed his face. "KC, good morning," he greeted, his voice a deep, velvet purr that threatened to melt her legs right out from under her.

"Good morning," she replied, forcing herself to keep breathing. "Sorry if I kept you waiting for long. I was having … issues getting into this outfit. It's a little more elaborate than what I'm used to wearing." She gave an embarrassed shrug, trying not to squirm as Hotohori gave her a quick once-over. The silk outer robe was forest green, embroidered with birds and flowers in gold stitching. The inner-robe was a gauzy, creamy creation stitched with white thread in a subtle pattern. The purple sashes holding the robes closed, and even her silk slippers, were embroidered with Suzaku's image.

While dressing, she'd asked Mei Lin what sort of a bird Suzaku was, and had been informed (somewhat huffily, as if she _ought_ to have already known) that he was not a peacock, but a Phoenix. While KC found the idea of a genuine, living Phoenix fascinating, she'd had to resist the very strong urge to ask if Suzaku had ever heard of a guy called Harry Potter.

Hotohori rose gracefully from his seat as she approached, reaching out to grasp her hand in a smooth, warm grip, raising it to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it. "You are lovely," he assured her. "The robes suit you, Your Eminence. They are indeed fit for the Priestess."

Her lips thinned. "I haven't actually _agreed_ to it yet," she reminded him. Her hand tingled where his lips had touched it, and her ears were hot. She couldn't figure out why this living, breathing deity of a man was showing such keen interest in her when every other male she'd come across barely noticed her existence. There was nothing special about her to warrant _this_ much attention. She wasn't supermodel-pretty like Brady, or exotic-pretty like Kimiko. "Cute" had always been her best description, and cute was too average to grab most boys' attention.

Maybe Hotohori treated all women alike. With _his_ looks, he probably had them swooning at his feet left and right. He most likely recognized her very obvious attraction and was teasing her a little. Or maybe he was trying to sweet-talk her into becoming the Priestess. That seemed a likely scenario, but KC couldn't bring herself to believe it. She didn't know him, but he didn't _seem_ like the type who manipulated people into doing his bidding. He was the emperor; all he had to do was snap his fingers, and his will would be carried out. He could have left her in that dungeon until she agreed to do what he wanted. He could have threatened to have her killed or tortured. Instead, he'd apologized for the way she'd been treated, and had done his best since to make her feel welcomed and comfortable. His sincerity was genuine, and she found that she was coming to trust him. A little.

Hotohori led her to the other chair. "I realize you must be famished. Please, help yourself to whatever you wish. Would you care for anything else? I can have anything you like prepared."

"Oh, no, don't trouble yourself. This is more than enough. I mean, I usually only eat a bowl of cereal or toast or something."

He nodded and seated himself in his chair, while she shyly picked out several slices of fresh honeydew and cantaloupe. There was more fish (thankfully headless), rice, and plenty of cooked greens. She loaded a plate and tucked in, mindful of the emperor's gaze resting on her as he calmly sipped his tea. She ate slowly, doing her best not to make an ass out of herself in her poor attempts to use chopsticks. She heartily wished for a fork and knife, but doubted anyone had ever heard of such things in this world.

"So, anyway, I've been thinking about this whole Priestess thing," she began after a few moments of awkward silence. She saw him visibly perk up, and hastened to add, "So, well, you said I had to summon Suzaku. That makes me nervous. There aren't any _sacrifices_ involved, are there? I mean, if I have to, like, kill a goat or a _baby_ or something, you can just forget the whole deal right now, 'cause that ain't gonna happen."

Hotohori looked astonished, before his expression melted into warm humor and he laughed outright. "I assure you, there are no sacrifices of any sort involved," he assured her, still chuckling. "The ritual merely involves standing before the holy fire and chanting the spell as your Seishi stand behind you and pray."

"Right. That's good. So what's a Seishi?"

"Your Seishi are the seven warriors of Suzaku, who are called to serve and protect you until you succeed in summoning Suzaku."

"Protect me? From _what_?"

He sighed and steepled his fingers, resting them against his lips. "Kutou will, no doubt, realize that we have discovered our Priestess," he said gravely. "They know full well the consequences to _them_ should she succeed in calling Suzaku. With his power, she could stop their invasion and place Konan under protection for the rest of its existence against their advances. Not only that, but she could also seal Seiryu's power, thus rendering Kutou helpless to summon forth Seiryu and reverse the effects, should they discover their own Priestess in the future."

"Whoa, whoa, now _wait_. Pause, rewind. Seiryu? Their _own_ Priestess? What haven't you told me yet?"

"Kutou is also protected by a beast deity," Hotohori explained. "He is called Seiryu, the Dragon of the Heavens. Naturally, there is also a Priestess who is called upon to summon him, as well. There are four countries in this world. They are all protected by their own deity, who each have a Priestess to serve them."

"So, you're saying there are other books? And there are other girls from my world wandering around, just waiting to stumble across them and get sucked into _this_ one?"

"I suppose that is feasible, yes."

"And could that happen while _I__'__m_ here?" The thought did not sit well with her.

"I … suppose so," Hotohori replied, a bit doubtfully. "But there has never been a time in recorded history when _two_ Priestesses have been called into this world at the same time. The Priestesses of Genbu and Byakko, who protect the countries to the north and west of us, came two hundred years or so apart, according to the records. So, it is highly unlikely that it will happen."

"Then what do I need bodyguards for?"

"Because you still pose a threat to Kutou. They have not found their Priestess, and should you seal Seiryu away before they do, all of their ambitions shall fall."

"So, in other words, they'll want me dead."

"Yes. They likely will."

"Well, gee golly! That _really_ makes me want to agree to this."

He sighed. "There is yet another reason for you to find the Seishi. Each one possesses power that you will need to help with the summoning. If even one is missing, the ritual will fail and all will be lost."

KC stared at him. "Lost … as in … no wishes? No saving the country? And I'll be stuck here _forever_?"

"Yes."

She chewed on her lip. "So, it seems likely that Kutou would target _them_, too. Am I right?" When he nodded, she demanded, "How are they supposed to protect _me_ if they're too busy trying to protect _themselves?_"

"The Seishi are _not_ helpless," Hotohori sniffed, looking offended. "As I said, each one possesses a power and abilities to defend you and themselves against enemy attacks. A Seishi will not be an easy target to kill." His smile was grim.

"Okay. What about finding them? How would I do that?"

"The Seishi are scattered throughout the realm. You must search for them. It should not be difficult to locate them, however. There are clues in _The __Universe __of __the __Four __Gods_ that will help direct you in your search."

"Which I'm sure would be really helpful. If I could, you know, actually _read_ the thing." KC leaned back in her chair and scrubbed her hands over her face. "You're expecting me to go out into a completely unfamiliar country—which is filled with people who will probably try to _kill_ me, thanks very much—and find these warriors on my own, using a scroll I can't even read. How am I supposed to do that? It could take weeks or months to find _one_ warrior, let alone _seven_ of them."

"KC—"

She shook her head and slumped down in her chair. "My mom's gonna freak out. She'll definitely realize I'm missing. I mean, sure, she's always working, but even _she__'__s_ got to notice when her own daughter doesn't make an appearance for a couple of weeks. And my best friends probably already realized I'm missing and are, like, harassing the police to look for me or something."

Hotohori regarded her seriously. "Forgive me, KC. It was never my intention to distress you. I merely wished to make you aware of the process involved in the summoning."

"Which is the only way to get home, so I have to do it anyway, right?" she muttered. "I think I finally understand that saying, 'Caught between a rock and a hard place'. Oh, and 'Out of the frying pan into the fire'. And then there's—"

"KC…"

"Right. Shutting up now."

Hotohori chuckled, regarding her fondly. "If it helps, I've already sent summons into the country, requesting that all warriors excelling in the literary and martial arts travel to the palace. Surely, from among them, you may find the ones you seek."

"Really?" KC sat up straighter. Then she eyed him suspiciously. "Wait, why'd you do that? I haven't _agreed_ yet, have I?"

He hid a smile behind his folded hands. "I … took a chance, and followed my instincts. They tell me that you _are_ the Girl of Legend, despite your protests. I believe you are the one who shall save my country."

"Seems like I don't have much of a choice in the matter." She scowled and took a long swallow of juice. "So, how will I know these guys? I mean, do I just pick out seven random strangers from the crowd and hope I guessed right?"

"Actually, you need find only six of them. And you will know them by the characters on their bodies," he replied, smiling mysteriously.

She blinked at him. "Six? Characters?"

He nodded, his smile impish as he reached up to draw the white ruffle of his robe back from his throat. And KC nearly fell out of her chair in surprise when a flare of crimson light abruptly burst from his neck, fading after a moment to reveal a glowing character pulsing just above his collarbone.


	7. Wherein Seishi are Discovered

**Seven  
****Wherein Seishi are Discovered**

KC's jaw dropped as she rose to her feet and circled around the table for a closer look at the glowing character. "Whoa," she breathed, leaning in to examine the mark. "That … looks like it _hurts_. Does it always do that?" She unthinkingly reached out to probe it gently.

A soft chuckle abruptly brought her back to her senses, and she glanced up, only to realize her face was so close to his that their noses almost touched. His remarkable eyes bore intently into hers, a strange expression lighting their depths. For a moment, she forgot to breathe. Then she squeaked and hastily backpedaled, her face flushing with heat as she edged back into her chair. Hotohori, however, seemed more amused than offended.

"I assure you the mark is quite painless," he said. "And no, it does not always 'do that'. Only when I will it, or when I am in battle, does it appear."

She nodded thoughtfully. "And the other six have the same kind of marks?" Then her jaw dropped as the realization belatedly struck her. "Wait a—_You__'__re_ one of them!"

He actually grinned. "Yes. I'm one of them. The seven warriors represent the seven constellations which make up the southern region of the heavens, which is governed by Suzaku. The names of these constellations are Tamahome, Nuriko, Chichiri, Chiriko, Mitsukake, Tasuki … and Hotohori."

"You couldn't have told me this _sooner_?"

He tilted his head to one side, regarding her with a small smile touching his lips. "Would it have affected your decision?"

She pursed her lips. No, but it certainly would have answered a few questions, like why he was being so kind to her. It was his duty. Well, _if_ she became the Priestess, that is. "So, if these Seishi all have names, wouldn't it be easy to find them? All we'd have to do is ask if they're named for any of the constellations, right?"

"It might not be so simple. Some of them may not realize they _are_ a Seishi. They may not know their names, or know of their characters."

"I'd think it'd be pretty hard to miss a birthmark that swells up and _glows_ on occasion," she deadpanned.

He chuckled. "Yes, but it may not have appeared at all for some of them. Their power may be dormant until we call it forth. I myself did not discover who I was until my eleventh year, when I got into a fistfight with a boy from the city."

"_You_ got into a fistfight?" she repeated incredulously, finding it hard to imagine the gentle man before her punching another boy in the face. Her disbelief was obvious, and Hotohori chuckled at her expression.

"Yes, I was at that rather awkward age, struggling to fight who I was, what I was being groomed to be. The boy caught me sneaking out of the palace as _he_ was sneaking into it—A childish dare or a prank on his part, no doubt—and he threatened to tell the guards on me. So … I simply stopped him from doing so. Of course, the noise we made during the scuffle brought them all running anyway, so it did me no good. They were too busy trying to catch me to bother with catching him, however, so he escaped his punishment."

KC grinned, trying to picture an eleven-year-old Hotohori scrapping on the ground like a common playground bully. It certainly didn't fit the impression of the graceful, impeccably-dressed man sitting before her. "So, who won?" she asked impishly. Hotohori shot her a sour look, and she giggled. "Okay, that says a lot. Let me guess. He whooped you, right?"

"I was a prince, taught in all manner of swordplay and honorable battle. Common brawling was beneath my training," he sniffed haughtily, looking a bit put-out at the muffled giggles that kept trying to escape KC's tightly-closed mouth.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh, but I'm having a hard time picturing a shorter version of _you_ getting into a fistfight," she admitted, struggling to regain her composure. "I feel better, though. Knowing that even you have the occasional lapse in composure now and then. I don't feel like such a dork that way."

He steepled his fingers against his mouth again and regarded her through smiling eyes, until a manservant arrived to clear what was left of their breakfast, and to remind him of the meeting he was scheduled to attend with his advisers. He sighed and gave KC a resigned smile. "Alas, duty calls," he told her. "I fear I shall be busy for the remainder of the day, but please feel free to explore the grounds as you wish. My servants will help you if you have any questions. I should also like you to attend dinner with me this evening, and breakfast again tomorrow. I have greatly enjoyed your company." His expression turned a bit melancholy as he added softly, "I much prefer it to eating alone."

KC gazed at him with sympathy. She didn't know much about how emperors lived in this era, but she imagined they normally didn't go around sharing meals with the help or anything. He probably always ate by himself, unless he had social functions to attend. She wondered if he had any close friends to relax with, as she did with Brady and Kimiko. Running a country had to be hard work. Didn't he ever get to have any time for himself? "I'd like to have meals with you. I enjoy your company, too," she said shyly. Then, feeling a bit self-conscious at the way his face lit up, she added, "Besides, you're like the only person I really even know in this place, and since you're my Seishi and all it'd make sense to keep you around, right?"

"Am I your Seishi?" he questioned softly, and she didn't miss the gleam of hope in his eyes. "Are you saying that you accept my request to help my country?"

She took a deep breath, released it slowly, and nodded. "After all, I have to pay you back for all this somehow, right? I'm not a mooch, remember?" She gave him an awkward little smile, and was nearly bowled over by the open gratitude and affection on his face as he took her hands and kissed each of them. "I thank you, Your Eminence," he breathed, pressing his forehead to the backs of her fingers. "You have saved us all."

"D-don't mention it," she squeaked around the pulse pounding in her throat. "Glad to help. Really."

With an affectionate little squeeze, he released her hands rose to his feet. "Until this evening, then," he murmured. With a formal bow, he turned and preceded the manservant from his chambers.

* * *

KC was sure she was being followed.

She'd been wandering the palace grounds for several hours now (not that she had any actual way of telling how much time had passed, considering nobody she met had even _heard_ of a clock before), speaking to the palace residents she happened to come across. Sometimes it was to ask for directions, but mostly it was to tell them to quit bowing to her as soon as they saw her; it was kind of embarrassing, and it wasn't like she was an _empress_ or anything. She usually went on her way after that … leaving them still bowing behind her. She was beginning to wonder why she even bothered.

It was as she was meandering along the river when she first sensed the presence behind her, and turned quickly around to see who was there. There was nothing but trees and a rather startled rabbit grazing among the long grass on the riverbank, which froze mid-chew when it felt her eyes on it. Shrugging, she again continued on her way, certain that she was imagining things.

That is, until she heard what sounded like a twig snapping behind her, and she turned again, eyes narrowed with suspicion. Had something just darted behind that tree over there? She couldn't be sure, but she _was_ certain it wasn't her imagination, this time. Casually strolling closer to the river, she swept her eyes over the bank until they fell upon a large stone nestled innocently in the grass. Stooping ever-so-casually, under the guise of tying her shoes (until she remembered she was wearing slippers) she quickly palmed the rock and stood, raising her arms into the air in the completely innocent manner of needing a good stretch.

Peeking back over her shoulder, she frowned when she saw what looked like a foot vanish into the lower branches of the tree. Turning and taking careful aim, glad now for the hours of grueling softball practice she'd been forced to endure in gym class, she threw the stone with all of her might at the spot just above the disappearing foot. She heard it crack off the wood, followed immediately by a startled yelp, and then came a flurry of snapping branches and tearing leaves as a body fell out of the tree and into the dirt with a painful thud amid a hail of ravaged foliage.

"What are you doing?" KC snapped, more mad than scared, as the person—a boy barely older than she was, by the looks of him—managed to untangle himself from the branches and jump to his feet, looking a bit pissed off himself.

"What are _you_ doing!" he yelled back. "You almost beaned me with that rock!"

KC rolled her eyes. "_Duh_," she snorted. "What was I _going_ to do, let you jump me from behind? Why are you following me?" She eyed him suspiciously. "You don't look like a guard or a servant or anything so why are you sneaking around the palace. Are you a spy or something?"

"No!" he huffed, looking mightily insulted. "I was invited here!"

She blinked. "By who?"

Now he rolled _his_ eyes. "By the _emperor_, dummy. How else could I get into the palace so easily and wander around like this?"

She frowned, pursing her lips, then snapped her fingers. "Oh, I bet you're one of those warrior people Hotohori … erm … His Majesty invited over to figure out who're the Seishi and all that, right?"

"Yeah…" he replied slowly. "I'm one of 'em."

KC grinned and stuck out her hand. "Well, in that case, I'm KC, and I'm the Priestess of Suzaku. Nice to meet you!" The boy eyed her hand like it was a coiled viper, and she shot him a strange look. "What? Never heard of a handshake before?" When he didn't reply, she sighed and grabbed his hand, pumping it up and down for a moment before releasing it. "I don't have cooties, you know. That's just how two people say hello in _my_ world."

"I … see. Interesting," he replied, looking her over searchingly. After a moment, he began circling, still examining her from head to toe.

KC patiently bore this scrutiny for all of thirty seconds before she crossed her arms over her chest and fixed him with a withering glare. "That's a very good vulture impression, but are you quite finished? Just _what_ are you looking for?"

He shrugged. "Proof," he replied casually.

She blinked at him. "Proof of what?"

"That you're really the Priestess of Suzaku."

"Excuse me!"

"Well, you aren't exactly what I was expecting in a Priestess," he muttered.

"Oh, really? So what _were_ you expecting, a twelve-foot Amazon with laser beams shooting out of her eyeballs?" she huffed.

He gave her an odd look. "What's a laser beam?"

"It's a—" She stopped and threw her hands in the air. "Oh, never _mind_! Suffice to say, your expectations are highly overrated." When he continued to look skeptical, she fixed him with a dark stare. "And what about _you_?" she continued sarcastically. "What kind of proof do _you_ have that says you're my Seishi, huh, huh, _huh_?"

He smirked. "I never said I was a Seishi," he replied slyly.

KC sputtered. "Come off it!" she huffed. "You wouldn't even _be_ here if you didn't think you were some kind of mystical, holy warrior."

"Unless I'm actually a spy, like you suggested," he replied innocently, examining the blunted nails on one hand.

KC pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. "Oh, well, then in _that_ case, I guess I'd better start screaming bloody murder, huh?" She drew in a deep breath to do just that, and his hand abruptly clapped over her mouth as the other one held the back of her head.

"Okay, okay! I was just kidding! I'm not a spy! Jeez, can't you take a _joke_?"

"Noifinisntfnny," she mumbled into his palm. When he removed the offending hand, she repeated haughtily, "Not if it isn't _funny_."

"Some people have no sense of humor," he sniffed, brushing a stray twig from his sleeve.

"Okay, so, where's _your_ proof?" she insisted, repeating his vulture impression as she circled him. "Either you show it to me or I start yelling, and believe you me, I can yell really loud if I have to. I'll have every soldier in this castle running here in thirty seconds flat if you don't satisfy my curiosity, mister."

"Okay, okay. Give me a moment," the boy grumbled. "It usually doesn't appear unless I'm fighting someone, but…" He sighed and brushed the long, blue-black bangs away from his forehead, closed his eyes, and concentrated. After a moment, KC was only half-surprised to see a faint, reddish glow appear in the middle of his forehead. It grew brighter and brighter, taking on the distinct shape of a Chinese kanji, different from the one on Hotohori's neck.

"Proof accepted, Seishi number two," she told him cheerfully. "So, which one are you?"

"I'm called Tamahome," he replied, letting his hair fall back over the mark, which faded into his skin again.

"Tamahome," she repeated. "And, so, why were you following me around?"

He shrugged and looped his arms behind his head. "I heard people whispering about you, so I decided to see for myself if you were who they said you were."

"Hmmm." She pursed her lips. "Not one for the direct approach, apparently." She waved her hand dismissively. "Well, anyway, come on, Tama, I gotta take you to Hotohori now and tell him we found another one! He'll be thrilled!"

"_Tama?_" he protested as she led him at a fast pace back to the palace courtyard, which she noticed was filling with all kinds of people, mostly men.

"Would you prefer 'Home' instead?" she teased, and he rolled his eyes at her. "Oh, there's Hotohori now!" She abruptly switched directions and pulled him up the stairs of a hastily-constructed dais on which two ornate chairs were positioned. He couldn't help but gawk in astonishment as he realized that in one of the chairs was seated none other than the emperor of Konan, himself.

"Hotohori!" KC called unabashedly as she stopped before the emperor, dragging a suddenly-nervous Tamahome around to stand beside her. "You'll never _guess_ who I found already!" She grinned widely and slapped her companion on the back heartily. "Meet Seishi number two, Tamahome!"

Hotohori did, indeed, look surprised as he eyed the other man curiously. Tamahome eyed him right back, more than a little astonished at the fact that his brother Seishi was the _emperor_, of all people. And then, to KC's bewilderment, both men, at the very same time, suddenly pointed at each other incredulously as startled recognition dawned on each face.

"_You,_" Hotohori gasped, clearly stunned.

"_You,_" Tamahome parroted, equally surprised.

"_Both _of you!" KC cried, throwing her hands in the air. Then, scratching her head, "Wait, do you two _know_ each other?"

"Er, we've … met," Tamahome muttered, scratching his head a bit sheepishly.

"When? And why are you so shocked?" she pressed.

"KC, do you recall the story I told you? About the boy in the palace?" Hotohori asked.

"Uh-huh. You—Oh." Her eyes widened. "_Ohhhhh!_" She turned on Tamahome and pointed in his face. "_You!_"

"Yes, me," Tamahome grumbled, grabbing her finger. "Will you stop that? And don't look at me like that, I was ten years old, for crying out loud!"

"Tsk. Shame on you for beating up your emperor!" KC couldn't help teasing the poor guy. "You were a regular little hoodlum, weren't you?" She laughed at the expression on his face and continued, "Bet you're not so tough _now_, huh?"

"Stuff it," Tamahome growled, and she giggled and darted behind the empty chair before he could grab her.

"_Now_ who can't take a joke?" she taunted, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Are you _sure_ you're the Priestess? You act more like my little sister than a dignified young lady."

In response, KC stuck out her tongue again, and crossed her eyes for good measure.

"We can and will vouch for KC's claim," Hotohori said, threading his fingers together as he regarded the girl with amusement. Turning his gaze to Tamahome, he added sternly, "We have asked her to become the Girl of Legend, and she has accepted Our request. Thereby, she is your Priestess as well as Ours, and you are her servant, so kindly treat her with a bit more respect."

"Y-yes, Your Majesty," Tamahome stuttered, sufficiently cowed by the emperor's serious gaze.

KC took pity on him. "Aw, go easy on him, Hotohori, please? I don't care if he talks to me like that. I _was_ teasing him," she said, plopping into the chair. "Besides, I'd rather have friends than servants, anyway. Friends are easier to get along with, aren't they?" She smiled at Tamahome, who smiled uncertainly back. Then, changing the subject, she gestured at the milling crowd spreading across the courtyard and asked impishly, "What's all the hubbub, bub?"

It took Hotohori a moment to decipher her question. "The warriors I summoned are beginning to arrive. Tomorrow, we shall begin to examine them to find the remaining Seishi. It gives me hope that we've found one, already. Perhaps our luck will hold out."

"There are so _many_," KC breathed, examining the mass of men (and a few women) critically. "I'm supposed to pick six … er … five of them out of the whole gaggle?"

"Do not worry, KC," he soothed. "The Priestess and the Seishi call to each other. You shall succeed in finding all of us."

"Why did so many people show up, though?" KC frowned. "Do they _all_ seriously think they're a Seishi?"

Tamahome snorted. "Most of 'em are probably here for a shot at the money," he surmised.

KC raised an eyebrow and glanced at Hotohori. "Money?"

The emperor's smile was a bit sheepish. "I offered sufficient salary to those who would be Seishi, for their service, to you and to the throne. It is only fitting, after all."

"Wait, you're offering to _pay_ them to serve me?" she cried indignantly. She turned accusing eyes to Tamahome. "Is that why _you_ showed up?"

He merely shrugged, linking his hands behind his head as he lounged on the steps below them. "Man's gotta eat somehow," he replied glibly.

KC sputtered. "So … so what happened to all that fate and destiny crap everyone kept feeding me?" she huffed.

"KC, KC, KC." Tamahome reached out and patted her knee, his smile patronizing. "A little _incentive_ never hurt anybody, now did it?"

KC glared and jumped to her feet. "I'll give _you_ incentive, you—"

"Whoops!" He chuckled as he darted from his seat and headed down the steps. "Well, gotta go unpack and all that. Busy, busy! Talk to you later!" he announced, waving over his shoulder as he vanished into the crowd.

KC pouted and flopped down into the chair again. "Hmmph. Nice guy," she huffed. "I feel _sooo_ much safer with _him_ on the team."

Hotohori smiled and reached over to squeeze her hand reassuringly. "Do not worry, KC. He will be a fine warrior. I am certain he'll serve you well."

"Sure, just so long as nobody robs your piggy bank in the next few months," she snorted, earning a chuckle in return.

They sat together in companionable silence, watching the goings-on below them as advisors and servants came and went, receiving orders and instructions from the emperor and keeping him updated about the happenings occurring inside the palace as the long-distance travelers arrived and settled in.

KC was dozing in the warm sun, the noise a steady, pleasant hum in the back of her mind, when a strange chill suddenly shot up her spine that had her instantly awake and sitting straight up, looking all around her.

"KC?" Hotohori paused in the middle of signing a document presented to him by a richly-dressed merchant. "Is something wrong?"

KC scratched her head, relaxing back into the seat. "I—No, I think I just felt someone … _watching_ me," she replied uncertainly. "It was like … a really malicious feeling." She took another look around, then shrugged. "Well, it's gone now, anyway."

Hotohori was frowning, his golden eyes sweeping over the array with brows drawn together. He signaled a nearby servant to him. "Please inform the guards that there may be an unwanted visitor among us." The merchant slipped discreetly away, ignored by the emperor. "Have them on double alert for anything suspicious until further notice. There may be a threat to Her Eminence's life." The servant bowed and hurried away.

KC felt herself go cold, swallowing hard. "Do you … think it could be one of those Kutou assassins?" she asked numbly.

Hotohori took her hand again and held it between his two, caressing the back of it lightly in a manner that set her stomach to tingling, despite her fear. "Please do not worry," he murmured, his voice a warm, rich purr in her ear. "I'll not let anything happen to you. They would not dare attack in such an open place, with so many witnesses about. All the same, you should retire to your quarters for a bit. You seem tired; perhaps a rest would restore your spirits."

She nodded, rising to her feet. "I guess a nap couldn't hurt."

"Can you find your way?" he asked. "Shall I escort you?"

Her smile was brighter now. "That's sweet of you, but I'll be okay. You look like you've got your hands full as it is," she replied. "But, are you sure there isn't anything I can do to help you? I mean, I don't know much about political stuff, but maybe I can, I dunno, help organize or something."

His smile was warm. "Thank you, but it is well in hand. Rest, then, and I'll see you again at dinner tonight."

"Okay. See you later." She hopped down the steps, feeling strangely reluctant to leave him, realizing how much she enjoyed his company. Then, two more advisors came barging up the steps in the midst of a heated argument, nearly knocking her over before bowing hastily and stopping in front of Hotohori's chair, where they continued to argue and attempt to speak their opinions to the emperor at the same time. He listened with a sort of weary patience. Apparently, this was not the first argument he'd had to witness among these particular advisors, but KC could see they were beginning to wear on his nerves.

Before she thought about what she was doing, she had climbed the steps again. "Um … excuse me, Your Majesty?" she interrupted politely. The advisors stopped mid-sentence and turned to stare at her. She shot them an apologetic smile, and then a sympathetic one at Hotohori. "I don't really remember how to get to my quarters from here," she began. "Would it be too much trouble to request that you escort me to them?"

One of the advisors began haughtily, "Your Eminence, surely there are _servants_ who could–" He was cut off, however, as Hotohori gracefully rose to his feet and replied, almost too hastily, "It would be this Seishi's honor to escort Your Eminence to her rooms." Turning to the advisors, he nodded regally. "If you will please excuse us …" And, without another word, he pushed past them and made his way from the dais with KC at his side. She had to fight to hide a smile at the obvious relief on his face, and the shell-shocked expressions on the faces of his advisors.

"Looks like I was able to help you out, after all," she teased as they made their way through the crowd, which parted before them like the Red Sea.

"And I cannot thank you enough," came the amused reply.

As the two of them walked into the palace, KC once again felt that strange, chilling gaze burning a hole into her back. She whirled around and scanned the area with narrowed eyes, searching for anything suspicious (not that she'd know what suspicious _was,_ even if she saw it). The feeling faded again, and she shrugged and was about to continue on her way when, from the corner of her eye, she saw a lone figure striding quickly away from the scene, along an outer hallway at the far end of the courtyard. She squinted to see better, wondering if it was an assassin, but it looked merely like a richly-dressed noblewoman, her long hair unbound and flowing down her back in a silky fall. KC blinked and rubbed her eyes, almost certain she was seeing things. In the light of the sun, that wealth of hair had looked to be colored a vibrant and most disturbing shade of _purple_.

Realizing that Hotohori was waiting for her, she turned around and hurried after him, shaking her head wryly. "And people think _my_ hair's a weird color."


	8. An Impromptu Concert & a Rival is Met

**Eight  
****An Impromptu Concert & a Rival is Met**

The afternoon found KC in her room with the contents of her pack scattered all around her. She was in the midst of attempting to do her homework; _a__ttempting_ being the objective word. She might've had more luck in actually finishing it if—being the easily distracted creature that she was—she wasn't also busily drumming on her trigonometry textbook with a pair of mechanical pencils while head-banging to Queen's _Bohemian__Rhapsody._

Thus, she didn't notice Tamahome standing in the doorway, fighting to contain his amusement at the admittedly hilarious picture she made, sitting cross-legged in the middle of her bed with her hair flying all over the place (and getting tangled in her earbud cords) her face screwed up into a grimace as she belted out the lyrics along with Freddie Mercury.

"_So __you __think __you __can __stop __me __and __spit __in __my __ai-ee-yai! __So __you __think __you __can __love __me __and __leave __me __to __diieee! __Ooohhh, __bay-bee! __Can__'__t __do __this __to __me, __bay-bee! __Just __gotta __get __oooout! __Just __gotta __get __right __outta __hee-yaaah!__"_

Tamahome couldn't take it anymore; he clutched his sides with his arms and gave way to hysterical guffaws that were loud enough to be heard even over the blaring music. KC jumped, startled, and turned her head to gawp at her unexpected visitor, her face slowly turning crimson as she realized what he must have witnessed. Jerking the buds out of her ears—and managing to yank out several strands of hair along with them—she glared at him and threw one of the pencils at his head. "Don't you know how to knock?" she snapped.

"I did knock. Repeatedly. And then I heard this hideous wailing so I thought maybe you were being attacked." He deftly caught the other pencil as it hurled toward his chest and examined it with a critical eye.

"I do _not_ wail," KC huffed, insulted. "I can sing just _fine_, thank you. And _you_ can get outta here! Can't you see I'm in the middle of something?"

"Yep. The question is, just what are you in the middle _of_?" he asked impishly as he sauntered farther into the room.

"My homework," KC sniffed. "I don't have anything _else_ to do, and it needs to be done anyway so I might as well get it over with and just _what_ are you staring at?"

Tamahome had fixed his gaze on the bright metallic green iPod and earbuds lying beside her on the bed, a glimmer of interest in his eyes. "What _is_ that thing?" he asked. "Is it something from your world?"

She shrugged. "It's my Nano. It plays music and—Will you stop _staring_ at me like that? You're giving me a serious case of the willies!"

Tamahome was most _definitely_ interested now, the glimmer having turned into something of a maniacal gleam at the mention of her world. "Can I have it?" he begged. "And maybe some other stuff, too. Like those … whatever-they-are?" He pointed to the books in front of her.

She frowned. "They're textbooks and _hell_ no! Do you have any idea how much one of these things _costs_?" She clutched the Nano to her protectively. "I'd be glad to hand over the books, but the school would probably demand my firstborn child as compensation. Why would you want them, anyway? It's not like you could _read_'em or anything."

He snorted. "Are you _kidding_ me? Do you have any idea how much I could sell this stuff for? Stuff from the Girl of Legend's world? I'd be richer than the emperor!"

KC rolled her eyes. "Seriously, is money all you ever think about?"

He smirked, unabashed, as he looped his arms behind his head and shrugged. "Pretty much, yeah."

"You're a regular Scrooge McDuck, aren't you?"

"A what?" He blinked at her in confusion.

"Never mind. So." She grinned slyly. "Wanna listen to some music?" She dangled the buds enticingly from her fingers.

His eyes widened. "Really? I could really hear music from your world from these things?"

"Yep. Hope you like rock."

"Er…"

She giggled. "Just listen." She showed him how to put the buds in his ears, then handed him the iPod. "Press this to play," she instructed, pointing to the button. Then, sliding her finger around the white circle, she added, "and this adjusts the volume up and down."

He nodded distractedly, turning the player over in his hands as he examined it with something akin to awe. "It's so light," he murmured reverently. "What a strange metal."

KC hid a grin. "It's aluminum, I think. Anyway, have at it."

Hesitantly, Tamahome's thumb pressed against the play button. There was a moment of silence, and then the opening notes to Bon Jovi's _Livin_' _on__a__Prayer_ blasted out of the earbuds, so loud that even KC could hear it from two feet away.

The effect was immediate on Tamahome. He yelled loudly and yanked the buds out of his ears, slightly wild-eyed as he threw the player at KC, who fumbled hurriedly to catch it. "Wh-what _was_ that?" he gasped, shaking his head to clear his ringing ears.

KC couldn't help herself; she cracked up. "Sorry," she managed around her giggles. "Guess I accidentally turned the volume up too far. Then again, not everyone likes their rock as loud as I do."

Tamahome grimaced and rubbed his ears. "You shouldn't listen to music that loudly. You'll end up going deaf," he scolded.

"Huh?"

"I said that you shouldn't listen to loud music. You'll go deaf."

"What's that?"

"I _said_, you shouldn't—" He shot her a sour look as she smirked at him. "Very funny."

* * *

"Why am I here again?" Tamahome questioned later as he followed KC down a long, empty corridor, watching as she opened yet another door and poked her head inside to see what was on the other side of it.

"'Cause you're my Seishi and it's your duty to watch out for me?" Seeing nothing of interest in the room—just another empty bedchamber (which was a good thing, considering the last one had been occupied)—she closed the door and continued on her way. "Besides, Hotohori said I could explore the palace, and it's not like _you_ have anything better to do, right?"

"Exploring, huh?" Tamahome snorted. "Looks more like snooping if you ask me."

KC slanted him a dry look. "I didn't ask you. 'Sides, you're getting paid to be here, right? Better start earning your payroll or I'll ask Hotohori to cut it in half."

He blanched. "You wouldn't!"

She smiled sweetly at him and skipped down the hall.

"Argh!" Tamahome scrubbed his fingers through his hair. "If I'd known I was gonna wind up babysitting some snoopy little—"

"Snip, snip, snip!" KC sang, cutting the air with her fingers.

Tamahome shut up.

For about thirty seconds. "Just what are you looking for, anyway?" he grumbled, peering into the room she was currently examining (and almost getting the door shut on his nose for his efforts).

KC shrugged. "Dunno yet," she replied cheerfully, "but I'll figure it out when I find it."

He rolled his eyes and smirked. "Is that supposed to be some kind of logic in your world?"

She laughed. "Nope. Just in my mind."

"Well, _that_ explains a lot then, doesn't it?"

She turned to stick out her tongue at him, then opened another door at the end of the hallway, which turned out to lead outdoors, on the other side of the same courtyard from which they had started. Her jaw dropped as she stared blankly around her. She could see the dais below on which Hotohori had earlier been sitting, but the milling crowd of travelers had diminished; no doubt, they were all getting settled into their quarters.

"_Gah!_" She smacked her hand to her forehead.

Tamahome laughed. "Had enough?" he teased, mussing her hair.

She pouted. "This place is a rat maze. It's amazing nobody gets _lost_ in it."

"Except you, of course."

"Oh, like _you_ could do better?" She huffed a sigh and slumped against the wall. "Geh. I wanna go take a walk in the gardens. Or maybe I should actually finish my homework…"

"_Or_ you could always start wailing to that noise you call music agai—OW!"

KC smirked and retracted the heel that had been grinding into Tamahome's foot. She skipped down the steps into the main courtyard. "You know, I never had a brother to torment before," she called over her shoulder. "This could be fun."

"I've got two sisters under the age of ten," Tamahome retorted as he limped after her into the gardens beyond the courtyard, "and they _both_ act more grown-up than you do."

KC cackled evilly. "Oh, yeah? Wait'll they hit puberty!"

Tamahome opened his mouth for another insult, but stopped when he noticed KC's posture abruptly stiffen. Curiously, he watched as she looked wildly around, apparently searching for … _something_. He frowned. "What's the matter now? What're you looking for?" he asked, half-suspecting a trick of some kind.

However, KC seemed serious enough as she turned to face him, frowning. "Don't you _feel_ that?" she responded, rubbing her arms briskly as if warding off a chill.

He blinked in confusion. "Feel _what_?"

"Someone's watching us," she insisted, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "I felt 'em this morning, too. But Hotohori put the guards on alert so you'd think they'd have the sense to make themselves scarce."

Tamahome looked around, letting his inner senses awaken, trying to detect the presence of a possible enemy. After a moment, he shrugged. "I'm not sensing anything. What does it feel like, exactly?"

"Oh, I dunno. But I think 'a sense of impending doom' is a pretty accurate description."

"You're exaggerating," he scoffed. "I don't sense anything evil around."

She rolled her eyes. "Just 'cause you don't feel it, doesn't mean it's not there," she pointed out. "Maybe _you__'__re_ just not the hotshot Seishi you're supposed to be."

"And just what is _that_ supposed to—"

"Hey! It's her again!" KC pointed to a figure standing half-hidden behind a pillar some distance away. "I saw her this morning, too." Her eyes narrowed. "_She__'__s_ the one who's been watching me!"

The woman started to draw back. Then, apparently realizing she'd already been spotted, she seemed to change her mind and stepped forward again, revealing herself fully. Even from twenty feet away, KC could feel the icy stare the woman had fixed on her. "_What_ is her problem?" she muttered uneasily. "Why does she keep _staring_ at me like that? I never did anything to her!"

"She doesn't look like a hired assassin to me," Tamahome snorted. "H-hey! Where're you going?"

"I'm _going_ to get to the bottom of this," KC muttered as she marched determinedly forward. "If that woman has an issue with me, then she needs to come out and tell me instead of just shooting Evil Eye beams at me all the time. It's really _creepy_."

"Now … just hold on!" Tamahome protested, grabbing the back of her robe. "Don't just go waltzing up to potential danger like that! What are you, stupid or something?"

"But, Tamahome, she doesn't _look_ like a hired assassin," she replied sweetly. "Remember?"

He sighed in exasperation. "Quit throwing my own words back in my face."

"Well, stop giving me such easy openings to toss 'em! Too late, anyway; we're already here." KC fixed an exaggeratedly sweet smile on the woman, who regarded her with a slightly haughty expression. Up close, the woman wasn't just pretty, she was amazingly beautiful. Her smooth, milky skin glowed like white jade. Her red-violet eyes were large, enigmatic, and currently radiating extreme irritation. Her features were delicate, petite, even _with_ the pout marring her full lips. Her dark purple hair (despite the bizarre color) was a gorgeous mass of shining silk rippling in soft waves over the shoulders of her expensive robes and down her back. She clutched a silk fan in one delicate hand; it was closed, and at the moment being wielded rather like a weapon. This woman could definitely give Hotohori a run for his money in the looks department, except KC had never seen Hotohori looking so pissed-off before.

All the same, she wasn't about to back down just 'cause of a pretty face, no matter how plain and un-pretty she felt in comparison. "Hello," she began amiably. "I couldn't help but notice you've been watching me lately, and the vibes you're sending out are really starting to get on my nerves. Have anything you wanna tell me to my face?"

Tamahome slapped a hand to his forehead and rolled his eyes heavenward, preparing himself to break up an oncoming fistfight, if need be.

The woman sniffed and flipped a lock of hair over her shoulder. If she was nervous at being called out, she hid it well. "Yes," she replied in a low, slightly husky voice. "I want you to stay away from His Majesty."

KC blinked at her. "Come again?"

"The emperor! Stay away from him, do you hear me? You've been spending entirely too much time with him since you got here and there have been rumors going around that—" She shook her head, clenching her hands. "Just keep your distance from His Majesty. How dare you be so close to him!"

"Um…" KC glanced at Tamahome, who looked about as confused as she felt. "And … you would be … his secret lover or something? Are you like a servant?"

The woman immediately turned red, gasping in outrage, clearly offended. "I am no such thing! I am one of the Imperial Consorts!"

KC blinked again. "Consorts?"

"She lives in the harem," Tamahome supplied, raising an eyebrow.

KC choked. "_Harem!_You mean she's a _concubine?_" And then, as the implications of _that_ statement caught up with her, "Wait, Hotohori has a _harem?_" She supposed she looked more shocked than she ought to have, but the knowledge that Hotohori kept his own petting zoo of beautiful women was just a bit … unsettling.

"Not _concubine_," the woman sniffed haughtily. "_Consort_."

"You mean there's a difference?"

The woman rolled her eyes in a don't-you-know-_anything_ sort of way, but Tamahome patted her shoulder soothingly. "She and a bunch of other women have been brought here for His Majesty, so he can eventually choose one to be his Empress."

"Uh-huh. So, what happens to the ones who don't get chosen? Do they get sent home again?"

"It is traditional for an emperor to take more than one wife if it pleases him," the woman sniffed. "The empress, of course, would be his favorite, and the head wife of all the rest, but they would also have their duty of bearing children for His Majesty should the empress fail to produce a sufficient heir."

Right. KC suppressed the urge to snort. There was no difference at all. The woman was a glorified concubine no matter what she wanted to call herself. She felt it prudent not to mention that thought aloud, however.

The woman sighed heavily. "I've been here for a year now, and aside from our introductory meeting, His Majesty has never come into the Seraglio even once! We've _all_ been accepting that he isn't ready to take a wife, even with the threat of war hanging over our heads, but now _you_ come along, and within the first moment of meeting you, he has barely left your side since! What is so special about you that he should spend his important time with you?" she cried angrily. "You aren't even that pretty! I mean, look at your hair; whoever heard of stripes, anyway? And _blue_ eyes? Are you sure you're not the offspring of one of those _heathen_ people Kutou wiped out years ago?"

KC took a faltering step back, feeling as if she'd just been sucker-punched in the gut. Her cheeks were flaming at the insults. She'd long since accepted that she was no beauty, not like Brady and Kimiko, but she'd never thought of herself as _ugly_ so much as _normal_. Still, it was the first time somebody actually had the gall to insult her looks to her face, and needless to say, she was really pissed off about it.

Eyes narrowing, she clenched her hands into fists and stood her ground. "And _this_ is coming from a woman whose head looks like a radioactive _eggplant_?" Gathering steam, she stalked up to the woman and got right in her snooty face. "And just who the _hell_ do you think you are, anyway?" she half-yelled, noticing somewhat distantly that the woman was barely taller than she was, their eyes almost even. "You don't even know me, so what the hell makes you think you have the right to judge me? What gives you the right to tell me who I can and can't spend my time with?" She faltered, drew a breath, and continued, "I _like_ Hotohori. He's a great guy! He's also the one who helped me most when I got here, so I depend on him. He _also_ happens to be my Seishi, so I should _think_ that would make him more _mine_ than _yours_. And obviously, there's something the matter with _your_ looks if you've been here a year and he's never given you a second glance. Or _maybe_ it's that stuck-up attitude of yours. If I was him, I wouldn't want a fatheaded snot like you, either!"

The woman stood there, mouth gaping like a dying fish, as she sought to respond. Clearly, she had never expected her prey to actually fight _back_. KC crossed her arms smugly over her chest and tapped her foot against the ground, pursing her lips as she waited for the consort to gather her wits. She was dimly aware that several people—most likely the various servants and couriers wandering through the yard—had gathered at a safe distance around them to witness the fight, but her temper was up and she ignored the fact that, as the Priestess, she probably shouldn't be making such a spectacle of herself.

The woman, however, did seem to care that there were several witnesses to the argument. She finally managed to gather her dignity and drew herself together, looking down her pretty little nose at KC. "Just keep your distance from Hotohori, or you'll be sorry," she growled.

"Ohhhh, making threats now, are we?" KC taunted. "How very ladylike."

The woman flushed and whirled to stalk away.

"Now, hold on," KC called after her. "You should at least tell me your name. I mean, after we've had _such_ a touching heart-to-heart and all."

The woman fixed her with an icy stare. "My name is Kourin. But _you_ may address me as 'My Lady'."

KC pursed her lips. Now why was that name so familiar…? "Ah!" she cried out, pointing. "You're Mei Lin's former mistress!" Her eyes narrowed. "_You're_ the creep who told her to throw out my clothes." Which she had not gotten back, as of yet. "You owe me a butt-load of money for that outfit, lady," she growled.

Kourin merely sniffed.

"Is that why you're pissed? 'Cause Hotohori took your servant away? Geez, get _over_ it and hire yourself a new one! Don't be so petty."

She was rewarded with a glare as Kourin turned in a huff and stomped away, ignoring the servants who leapt out of her way lest they be caught in the wake of her ire. KC rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Well, gee wiz! I think I just made a new friend," she proclaimed sarcastically.

"You do have a way with women," Tamahome deadpanned, and was rewarded with an elbow in the gut.

* * *

As it turned out, Hotohori was forced to cancel the evening meal he'd planned to have with KC. One of the spies who had been sent to Kutou to assess the situation had returned; after conferring in low tones, Hotohori immediately called a meeting with his advisors and the generals of his army. They locked themselves in the large study where KC had first met Hotohori, and nobody had seen them since.

Even though she understood, she was still disappointed. She found she had been looking forward to the meal even more than she'd realized. Instead, she took supper in her own room and even managed to talk Mei Lin into eating with her. Well, more like demanded it, when the girl refused to eat with her, otherwise. She even managed to coax information out of the maid, discovering that Mei Lin was working to earn money in order to support her elderly mother and younger sister, as her father had died a year before from a lingering illness in his body (from the description, KC suspected it had been some kind of cancer). Hotohori had graciously given the girl a job as a maidservant to Lady Kourin, and everyone had taken her under their wing to teach her the ways of the palace. Mei Lin liked her job, even though it was hard work, and Lady Kourin could be somewhat terrifying when she was displeased. She'd been honored to serve her, though, and was even more honored to have been promoted to serving the Priestess of Suzaku. "Perhaps, if I do a good job, I'll be given a raise," the maid shyly admitted. "My sister is growing so fast; she has already nearly outgrown her shoes. I must buy new ones for her soon."

KC smiled and patted her shoulder. "I'll ask His Majesty if you can have a raise," she promised. "I know it's gotta be hard work to support a family without a dad around. I don't have a dad, either. My mom works all the time to support us."

"I'm sorry. I did not realize your father had also died."

"H-he isn't dead." KC's smile was a bit forced. "He took off when I was thirteen, and my parents divorced right after. He lives in Chicago—That's a city on the other side of my country—and my mom and I live by ourselves.

"So you must work, as well? It seems strange to think of the Priestess working for a living," Mei Lin said shyly.

"Like I keep telling you, I'm just a normal girl over there. I don't work, though. I attend school most of the day. My mom does all the work."

"School," Mei Lin breathed, eyes wide. "Are women truly allowed to attend school in your world? To learn of the things only men know?"

"'Allowed' isn't really the right word for it. More like forced," KC joked weakly. She was coming to realize just how precious the education she'd always taken for granted really was in this world, especially to her own gender. "I could try teaching you some stuff I've learned, if you like. Although, I don't know if you'd understand. When it comes to reading and writing, I think there's a sort of language barrier," she confessed. "And of course my world's history wouldn't mean anything to you. But maybe, I dunno, some simple mathematics? Adding and subtracting numbers and such?"

"Y-you would truly teach me this?" Mei Lin looked like she was on the verge of passing out.

KC laughed sheepishly. "Well, so long as Konan's numeral system isn't too different from what I know, and as time will allow, I guess. I get the feeling I'm gonna be awfully busy for awhile, traveling around looking for Seishi and all that. And then, of course, the summoning, and after that … I'll finally get to go back again." She trailed off, thinking of home, wondering if her mom had even realized she'd gone missing yet.

"Is something the matter, Lady KC?" Mei Lin asked, noticing the frown on her face.

KC snapped out of her thoughts. "Uh, not really. I was just thinking of my mom and … missing home, I guess." She paused. "How old did you say you were, again?"

"I'm fourteen years, Your Eminence," Mei Lin replied politely.

KC blew out a breath. "You're younger than me, but you act so grown up and mature. I feel like a little kid next to you." She chuckled as Mei Lin blushed at the compliment.


	9. Idiot's Guide to Searching for Seishi

**Nine  
****Idiot's Guide to Searching for Seishi**

The next morning, it was Tamahome who woke KC; the emperor was still at his meeting and sent his apologies that he would not be joining her for breakfast. KC shoved down the disappointment of having been twice dumped over a bunch of crabby old men, and invited Tamahome to have breakfast with her, instead. He gladly agreed, especially after she promised to show him more of the "wondrous stuff" from her world. While they ate, she managed to talk him into telling her more about his life, and discovered he was from a village a day's ride away. Like Mei Lin, he'd originally come into the city to find work. That was when he'd heard the emperor's announcement and had gone to the palace. He also had an elderly father who was sickly, and four younger siblings; his mother had died giving birth to the youngest daughter, Yurien. From the way he spoke, KC could tell that he loved his family very dearly.

"Is that why you're so obsessed with earning money?" she asked. "Because you're supporting all of them?"

If he was surprised at her observation, he was too busy stuffing his face to show it. "Yeah, pretty much," he agreed, popping an entire pork dumpling into his mouth, which was quite a feat, considering the meat bun was about the size of a baseball. Apparently, he didn't get to eat _this_ richly in his normal line of work.

"Hmmm. Well, then I suppose I'll forgive you for only signing up to be my Seishi 'cause of Hotohori's money," KC teased, and was rewarded with a clump of rice being flicked at her face.

"Your graciousness overwhelms me, Your Eminence."

She grinned and chewed on a pear.

Suddenly serious, Tamahome put down his chopsticks. "You _do_ know I'd be your Seishi, even without the payment, right?" he asked. "I mean, despite the money, it _is_ my destiny and all. To deny you would be the same as denying who I am."

KC stared at him for a moment, and then a smile quirked her lips. "Why, Tamahome, are you, like, confessing your _love_ for me or something?" she asked coyly.

The mouthful of tea Tamahome had been on the verge of swallowing instead ended up all over the table in a fine spray, as he began to sputter and cough. KC eyed the mess in distaste. "Ew. You know, that _really_ isn't sanitary—"

"Th-that wasn't a _love_ confession!" Tamahome wheezed. His face was beet-red. "I was just … just…"

She cracked up, leaning back in her chair and clutching her stomach with both arms. "Oh, _man,_ I wish you could see the look on your face right now!" she exclaimed amid her giggles. "You look completely terrified!"

"Sh-shut up!" Tamahome snapped, trying to retain his scattering dignity. "I'm _not_ in love with you!"

"Well, _that__'__s_ a relief."

"I don't even—Hey! What's _that_ mean?" Tamahome stared at her, looking slightly wounded.

KC grinned. "Oh, no offense or anything, but you're not really my type," she teased.

"Oh, really? Then what _is_ your type?" he asked, pouting. Then, a sly grin crossed his features. "On second thought, I suppose maybe certain tall, rich, admittedly handsome emperors are more to your liking ..."

Now it was KC's turn to start coughing; a bite of pear flew across the table and smacked Tamahome in the eye. "Th-that's not funny!" she wheezed, pounding on her chest with her fist as she fought to swallow the half-chewed pear. "For your information, I don't _have_ a type. But if I did, you're definitely not it!"

There came a knock on the door, interrupting the squabble, and Mei Lin poked her head inside, nodding shyly at Tamahome when she saw him there. "Lady KC, Lord Tamahome, His Majesty requests your presence at the courtyard as soon as possible. He would like to begin the interviews with the guests."

KC rose to her feet, hastily finishing off her pear as Tamahome shoved one final dumpling into his mouth. "You're not wearing _that_, are you?" he mumbled around his mouthful, regarding her clothes critically.

KC frowned and looked down at her attire. She'd requested a simple pair of loose-fitting black pants and a long white tunic, which she'd belted at the waist with a scarlet sash. It was similar to Tamahome's own getup, and knew it was considered a man's outfit, but it was far more comfortable and easier to move around in than the elaborate gown she'd worn yesterday. "What's the matter with it? We're going to the courtyard, not to some black-tie formal. Waddaya want, a friggin' ball gown?" she complained.

"What's a ball gown? I have no idea what you're talking about," he chuckled, knocking her on the head with his knuckles.

"That's nothing new. Seems like you don't have a clue about a lot of stuff," she retorted, jumping ahead with a yelp when he took a playful kick at her backside. "Hey, now, is that any way to treat your Priestess? I can still get your pay docked, you know!"

They were still bantering back and forth when they reached the dais, where KC found Hotohori sitting in all his imperial glory. Her smile widened at the sight of him, and she waved and bounded up the stairs. "Been awhile since I've seen you!" she called, ignoring the stares and whispers of the crowd filling the yard below them. "I thought maybe the floor opened up and swallowed you or something."

"It rather feels that way," the emperor agreed, giving her a faint smile in greeting.

KC's own grin faded when she saw how pale and tired he seemed. Despite that, however, he still held himself with a rather elegant air. She sighed. Always the emperor, it seemed, even when he was dead on his feet. Poor guy. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked gently, seating herself beside him and resting her hand on his arm. "You look really worn out. Did you sleep at _all_ last night?"

He blinked down at her, looking somewhat surprised, before his hand came up to cover hers, squeezing gently. "Do not concern yourself about me," he murmured. "I'm fine. This is not the first time I've spent a night with my advisors."

"I don't suppose you actually ate anything since yesterday, either," KC accused. At his slightly guilty expression, she sighed and shook her head. "Now, how can you expect to stay healthy if you don't eat or sleep properly?" she scolded. "Maybe one you can do without, _occasionally_, but not both. You ought to eat a proper meal before we start all this. It wouldn't be very good if the emperor passed out in front of all his subjects."

He chuckled. "I assure you, I'll be fine," he insisted. Then, noting the stubborn tilt to her chin, he added, "I give my word that as soon as this is over, I'll return to my chambers and have a decent meal."

"_And_ ask not to be disturbed for at _least_ five hours, so you can get some real sleep," she added firmly.

Something poked her shoulder, and she turned to find Tamahome leaning over with one elbow propped on the arm of her chair, chin resting on his fist, a droll expression on his face as he regarded her. "So … do you make it a personal habit to order the emperor around like you were his mother?" he asked dryly.

KC huffed a protest. "Well … _somebody_ has to look after the poor guy," she objected. "His councilmen don't seem to give a rat's ass about his health, keeping him up all hours of the night and not even _feeding_ him and all!"

Tamahome smirked. "Is that any kind of language for a lady to be using?" he teased.

"Oh, shut up." KC scowled and slouched down in her seat. "Who're _you_, my dad? I'm the Priestess and he's my Seishi, so it's practically my _job_ to make sure he takes care of himself! Right, Hotohori?" She turned to smile at the man, only to find him regarding her with an odd expression in his eyes. She blinked up at him. "Wh-what? Is something wrong?"

His smile, when it appeared, was slow and almost sensual as he shook his head. KC practically felt her heart stop at the sight of it. "No," he replied softly. "I was merely … thinking."

"A-about what?" Meaning, specifically, what could have put such a _look_ on his face?

To her astonishment, he reached up to trail his knuckles softly over her jawline, gently pushing a lock of hair away from her cheek. Her eyes widened at the intimate gesture, feeling her whole body beginning to turn red, starting with her face. "I was just thinking how wonderful it feels to know that somebody truly worries for me," the emperor murmured, the soft expression still glowing in his eyes.

KC felt herself melting under the force of that gaze. "Oh," she squeaked. "Okay." Turning away quickly—She _really_ needed stop acting like such a _ninny_ around the guy!—she again found herself face-to-face with Tamahome, who was now looking rather smug. "What is it _now?_" she growled, deciding that it was getting really annoying being stared at all the time.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," he replied flippantly. "Just … _thinking_."

"_Urrgh!_" KC flung herself back in her seat and crossed her arms sulkily over her chest. "_Men._"

* * *

A mere ten minutes later, she found herself surveying the sea of people standing below, all eyes fixed on her expectantly, and wishing for the ground to open up and swallow her whole because it had just occurred to her that she had absolutely _no_ idea how to go about figuring out which of the many, many fighters were her would-be Seishi. "Ummm," she muttered, "a manual would be helpful right about now. Something like _Beast __Deity __Summoning __for __Dummies. _Or maybe _The __Idiot's __Guide __to __Searching __for __Seishi_. Yeah. That'd be great."

She glanced helplessly at Hotohori, who merely smiled encouragingly at her. Refraining from rolling her eyes (_Some __help _you _are, __pal_), she stepped to the edge of the dais and took a deep breath, determined to give it her best shot. "Um," she began uncertainly. "Uhhh … if anybody in the crowd has a Chinese symbol on their body that occasionally swells up and glows, please step forward now. The rest of you can … go home. I guess."

The crowd shifted and murmured, glancing at each other uncertainly. KC glanced back at her two Seishi, only to find Tamahome shaking his head with a hand over his eyes and Hotohori looking a bit pained. "Well, what else am I supposed to say?" she hissed. "It's not like I've got a bloody _clue_ what I'm doing here!"

"Way to instill confidence in the people, Your Eminence." Tamahome snorted as he got to his feet, quickly stepping aside as KC's heel headed for his instep. "Well, guess it'll all be up to me!" he proclaimed, cracking his knuckles. "A warrior's symbol appears when they're battling, right? So, I'll take 'em all on and that way we can find out who's got what where!"

KC blinked. "There's something faulty with that logic, I just _know_ it," she muttered, scratching her head.

"You got any better ideas?"

She gave a careless shrug and flopped back into her chair. "Right then. Battle away, O mighty warrior!"

"Whooo yeah! This's gonna be fun!" Tamahome crowed, prancing eagerly into the crowd. "Okay, who's up? C'mon, c'mon! Don't be shy! Ladies first!"

KC snorted into her hand, shaking her head. "I've unleashed an egomaniac," she muttered drolly. Hotohori chuckled a bit nervously, as though he couldn't decide on whether he ought to be amused or anxious. She smiled and patted his arm reassuringly. "Oh, relax. Let the boy have his fun. Who knows? Maybe he'll actually find another one?"

Fifteen minutes and a pile of unconscious bodies later, however, proved that "another one" was nowhere within the vicinity of the crowd. Tamahome looked around with a frown, surveying the carnage he'd caused, then shrugged and dropped the final limp body to the floor. "Looks like there aren't any Seishi here!" he called.

KC glared at him. "Thank you, Captain Obvious," she retorted. "You'd better be grateful there are no such things as lawyers in this world, or your ass would _so_ be sued for assault and battery!"

Tamahome paused, attempting to decipher what she'd just said, then looked up with a puzzled, "Huh?"

KC dropped her head into her hands and huffed. "Never _mind_. Clearly, it's up to me to sort this mess out, after all." She rose from her seat and stomped down the dais, looking at the groaning men attempting to regain their senses. "All right, you buncha pansies. Since Tama-home-boy here is obviously too much for your feminine sensibilities to handle, how about you take _me_ on, instead?" She stood with a hand fisted on her hip, jabbing her thumb into her chest to make her point.

"What're you doing!" Tamahome yelped, clapping his hands over KC's mouth. "You're just gonna piss them off!"

She yanked his hand away. "Gee, ya think?" She leaned in closer. "Look, if just making them fight doesn't make their symbols appear, maybe making them mad will?"

"Not a good idea," Tamahome protested. "Some of these guys are really mean. You think they won't attack just 'cause you're a girl?"

"If they call themselves real men they won't." She turned back to the group. "Well? Come along, children! Make your move. I don't got all day," she taunted. "Prove that you're worthy of being my Seishi! And if any of you are just here for the emperor's purse, then go crawl back under your rock! I don't need that kind of protection from the likes of you!"

There was definite unhappy muttering among the crowd as more and more warriors got to their feet, fixing malevolent stares on the Priestess. "Who do ya think you are, insultin' us like that?" one of them called angrily.

"Awww, whatsa matter? Did I hurt your widdle feewings?" KC tsked at him, waving a finger. "Better run home to Mommy before you get hurt! Leave room for the real warriors." Something caught her eye. "Oh, look! There's one of 'em now!" She pointed to an old servant who was toddling along not far away, lugging a bucket of water. The old lady stopped in her tracks and blinked as she suddenly found herself under scrutiny. When KC's words reached her ears, she cackled and playfully flexed a skinny arm, eliciting both amused laughter and more disgruntled muttering. KC smothered her grin. "Maybe you should go fight with her, instead," she jeered. "You might actually win that way."

Well. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. KC realized belatedly just how far she'd pushed their tempers when, as one, nearly the entire crowd surged forward, swords hissing from their sheaths and vile curses and threats spewing from bearded mouths. She yelped and bolted away from the mob, heading toward the nearest shelter even as Tamahome gave a war cry and dove into the fray. From the corner of her eye, she saw Hotohori leaping down the dais steps, his own sword drawn, and wished she wasn't so busy fleeing for her life that she couldn't stop to watch him fight, as well.

There was suddenly a pagoda in her path (_Where __the __hell_ _did _that _come __from?_), and rather than losing precious time going around it, she thought it best to run straight through. However, once inside, she discovered with dismay that there was no other exit leading out again. Rather, a railing blocked her way, leaving her trapped in the pagoda with an angry mob bearing down on her from behind.

"Oh, shi-"

She was cut off mid-curse when something whistled past her ear, clipping her smartly on the cheek and throwing her off-balance as it hurtled into one of the marble pillars with a resounding crack. She slipped and landed on her ass, gaping in stunned amazement at the large, wooden mallet lying on the floor at her feet. "A mallet? _Seriously?_ What is this, Loony Toons?"

"_KC!_" she heard Tamahome yell, and turned to assure him that she was okay, even though her cheek was smarting something fierce. She didn't even get her mouth open before another crack, like a gunshot, resounded in her ears. Her eyes widened as she glanced back at the pillar, realizing with horror what was happening. The mallet had hit it with such force that it had cracked clear through, and now the weight of the ornately carved roof was causing the two halves of the column to slip and crumble. In another moment, the entire structure would collapse right on top of her.

"_CRAP!_" she screamed, scrambling to her feet and preparing to throw herself out of the falling pagoda. However, another force slamming into her knocked her backward from the direction she was _trying_ to go, and she abruptly found herself flat on her back with Tamahome's prone form sprawled on top of her. "What're you _doing!_" she shrieked, as soon as she could catch her breath. "I was trying to get _out!_"

There was no time to answer as the roof finally gave way with an audible groan and several more deafening cracks. KC screamed and covered her eyes, expecting to feel the crushing weight of several tons of rubble at any given moment.

But even after the horrible roar of falling rock had ceased, she realized with astonishment that she was still very much alive.

Opening one eye, her vision was immediately flooded with brilliant red light, and she realized with horror that Tamahome was still stretched over her, braced on his hands and knees with what looked like the entire weight of the roof pressing down on his back. His symbol was blazing like Rudolph's nose in the middle of a blizzard, and she could clearly see the pained expression on his face as a trickle of blood made its way from his temple to his jaw. Her own jaw dropped in complete bewilderment as she gazed up at him, their faces only inches apart. "Wha—what did you—Are you completely _crazy?_" she gasped, too stunned to be angry at his stupid display of heroics. "You could've killed us both just now!"

"F-fine way to show … appreciation … to me for just saving your … life," he grunted, his arms trembling and straining with the effort to hold up the weight on his back.

"Tamahome … you …" KC trailed off, for once having no sarcastic reprimand. "You shouldn't have done that," was all she could think to say, her voice barely a whisper.

He managed a strained smile. "Gotta … earn … those wages. Didn't I tell you … I'd protect you?" The structure gave another low groan, and he winced as his arms bent a little. Cursing softly, he fought to keep from sinking further. "C-can't … hold it much longer," he admitted.

She could see he was sweating heavily now, his entire body trembling with the strain, and her eyes slowly filled with tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't gotten them so riled up …"

He quirked another smile. "It was … kinda funny," he admitted. "You got spunk, I'll give ya … that much." The sweat on his forehead dripped over his brow and into his eyes. KC reached up to wipe it away gently with her sleeve, smiling despite her tears.

"You make a really great big brother. I always wondered what it'd be like to have one. If I did, I hope he'd be as cool as you."

Tamahome managed another smile, but that was all. His entire focus now was on supporting the crushing weight of the fallen building and protecting his Priestess above all else. The only thing KC could do was lay there and wait and hope and pray.

* * *

"Remove that beam!" Hotohori ordered as he lifted chunks of roof tile and fallen timber away from the pile of rubble burying KC and Tamahome. He could not fight the sick, roiling feeling of terror that had uncurled in his stomach from the moment the building had collapsed; if he'd bothered to eat anything lately, no doubt he'd be heaving it all over the floor by that point. As it was, he fought back the sick dread and continued to aid in removing the rocks, shrugging off the hands of his advisors as they attempted to get him to stand away. How could he _possibly_ stand by and do nothing while _she_ was underneath this mess, injured or maybe even dead?

He grabbed onto the fallen beam that was pinning a large chunk of the roof to the ground, straining with all his might to lift it away from the mess. It was no use. Despite his strength, the beam was just too large and heavy, weighed down by other sections of roof and rock. "Please, be all right," he prayed as he sweated and strained. "Please, do not die now. Not before I have a chance to—"

"Sire," came a soft, sympathetic voice from just behind him. Startled, he whipped his head around to find a beautiful young woman standing there, her eyes lowered demurely to the ground. "Might I be of some assistance?" she offered.

He blinked, certain he was hearing wrongly. "You?" he asked, unable to keep the skepticism from his voice.

In reply, the maiden raised her eyes to boldly meet his, a hint of defiance in their red-violet depths. Without a word, she tossed her silken braid over her shoulder, pushed back her sleeves, gripped the heavy beam that Hotohori had been attempting to move … and lifted it and tossed it aside—heedless of any passersby in its path—as if it weighed no more than a feather. As the gathered crowd stopped to stare with dumb wonder at the display, she proceeded to do the same with the next large chunk … and the next … and then the next. She dug her way through the mess with the ease of a child tossing crusts of bread to a flock of birds.

There were several panicked yelps from observers who suddenly found themselves the targets of flying debris, hurriedly flinging themselves out of the way as the material landed with heavy thuds, no doubt putting several good-sized cracks into Hotohori's marble courtyard floor. Then again, everybody was too busy gaping at the amazing spectacle to take much notice of the damage she was causing.

With a final heave, the last section of the roof was sent flying through the air (nearly landing on an unobservant courtier before he managed to take an ungraceful nosedive out of the way). Both Tamahome and KC were revealed, blinking in the sudden light, rather dazed, but seeming none the worse for wear after their brush with death.

"Um … what just happened?" KC ventured after a moment, more than a little confused at the sudden rescue.

"Huh. Looks like they're still alive," the maiden observed, casually brushing the dust from her sleeve. "They have the devil's own luck, don't they?"

"Wh-who _are_ you?" Hotohori breathed, his golden eyes wide as he watched the newcomer with something akin to wonder.

"_You!_" This sudden yelp came from KC, who'd been helped to her feet and was now standing with gaping jaw and a finger pointing accusingly at the woman.

"Now this seems familiar," Tamahome snorted, and then released a pained yelp when the helpful physician applied a stinging salve to the cut on his head.

Kourin eyed the Priestess and smirked demurely. "We meet again," she greeted coolly.

"You—But why did—You saved … er…" KC was clearly at a loss for words, which did not go unnoticed by the consort.

"Of course I saved your life," Kourin began in a pitying tone. "After all, isn't it a Seishi's job to protect his … or _her_… Priestess?"

"_What?_"

There was no telling who shouted the word first, since it seemed to come from everyone at once.

"Oh, my. Didn't I _tell_ you?" Kourin covered her pursed mouth with a dainty hand and blinked her large doe-eyes with childlike innocence. Clutching the neckline of her elaborate robe, she pulled it back ever-so-slightly to reveal a glowing crimson symbol burning just above her left breast.

KC stared, slack-jawed, at the sign, up at Kourin's supremely smug face, back down at the sign … and that was when her body promptly decided it was high time for her to pass out.

* * *

She woke up feeling vaguely disoriented, wondering where she was and how she'd gotten there. Cracking her eyes open, she realized she was in her bed, and she frowned in confusion. Hadn't she just been outside in the courtyard? There were voices murmuring beside her and she turned her head to see that the room was full of people. Tamahome, Hotohori, Mei Lin, and—to her utter surprise—Kourin were there, speaking amongst themselves in hushed voices.

Tamahome seemed to be in the midst of some sort of debate with Kourin while Mei Lin looked on with unabashed interest, her head turning back and forth like an observer at a tennis match. Hotohori simply propped his elbows on the table with his hands folded at his mouth, his golden eyes apprehensive as he stared blindly down at the wooden surface, lost in his own little world.

_Geez, __everyone __is __so __serious,_ KC thought, amused, as she carefully sat up and scratched her head. Nobody appeared to notice that she was awake now. It occurred to her, since it was _her_ room they were sitting in, that she was the cause of their concern, so she figured it would be best to reassure everyone that she was okay. "What's with all the doom and gloom, people? I feel like a guest at my own funeral," she quipped, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"KC!"

"Your Eminence!"

"Oh. She woke up." That was Kourin, of course.

KC pulled a face at her, right before she found herself being engulfed in voluminous sleeves and a pair of strong, warm arms, pulled against an even warmer chest. She blinked several times from her new vantage point of her chin buried against a red-clad shoulder, her vision filled with hair the color of polished pewter. "Um …"

"I am so relieved that you are safe." Hotohori's deep voice came softly to her ear, his breath a warm caress against her neck, making her shiver. "I was so afraid you were … that you had …" He trailed off, his arms tightening around her so fiercely that she felt like her ribs might crack.

"Urk! A-air … I need air …" she gasped, slapping at his arm, which loosened enough for her to suck in much-needed oxygen. He did not, however, let her go, and all she could do was try to act as nonchalant as possible, as if it was an everyday occurrence to be wrapped up like a sushi roll in the arms of the most beautiful man in the universe. Who also smelled _really_, _really_ good, she was swiftly coming to realize, as she breathed in the subtle, sweet fragrance of his hair.

It wasn't so bad, being hugged like this, she decided after a few silent moments, during which Hotohori readjusted his hold to cradle her gently against his chest, his head bent over hers, cheek against temple, his loosened hair brushing her nose while his thumb softly caressed her cheek. It actually felt really good to be held in such a manner, kind of comforting and warm, and under other circumstances, she maybe wouldn't have minded staying put a little longer.

At the moment, however, what she _really_ wanted to do was kick the knowing little smirk off Tamahome's face. And then maybe make a mad dash for her life, because the look Kourin was leveling at her screamed nothing less than a very slow and agonizing death if she _ever_ got her claws into her.

"Uh, you know, as nice as this is, people are staring," she muttered. _And __I__'__m __about __to __die __if __you __don__'__t __let __go, __like, _five minutes _ago!_ She tried her best to ignore Kourin's seething glare.

Hotohori slowly withdrew his arms, resting his hands gently on KC's shoulders as he searched her face. "How are you feeling? Do you hurt anywhere? Do you remember anything?" he questioned anxiously.

"Oh, sure I—Wait. Who are you again?"

At Hotohori's panicked expression, KC hurriedly waved her hands. "I-it was a joke! A joke! I was teasing! I'm just fine, honest!"

The emperor seemed to slump forward a bit, releasing a long breath, and sat back whilst shooting her a slightly reproachful glance. She offered a sheepish, apologetic smile in response. "Eh, sorry. I was just trying to lighten the mood. What happened, anyhow? How'd I end up in here?"

"You're joking, right?" That was Tamahome. "You passed out, dummy."

Her jaw dropped. "Nu-uh!" she protested. "I so did not! You're lying! He's lying, right, Hotohori?"

She looked at the emperor, who merely smiled and shook his head. "I'm afraid Tamahome speaks the truth. You fainted in the middle of the courtyard, right after Kourin—perhaps she should be called Nuriko, now—revealed her identity as the third Seishi."

KC banged her forehead against her drawn-up knees. "I can't believe I fainted. I _never_ fainted before! I'm a disgrace to my gender!" she wailed.

Mei Lin tittered while Kourin—Nuriko—smirked. Tamahome just rolled his eyes. "Well, you can hardly be blamed. I mean, a pagoda did collapse on you," he pointed out.

"Oh, yeah!" KC's head snapped up. "Are _you_ okay, Tamahome? I mean, you didn't break anything, did you?" she asked.

Tamahome shrugged. "I got a few cuts and bruises, but nothing serious," he said carelessly. "Still, that's an awful lot of trouble you put me through, you know. Don't do anything stupid like that again, okay?"

"Stupid!" KC sputtered. "Excuse _me_, Mister Wannabe Hero! Who's the idiot who pushed me back _into_ the pagoda when I was trying to jump out of it, huh, huh? Next time maybe you could make some better calculations before you go and save me so we both don't end up dead!"

"Yeah … well … who's the idiot who deliberately riled up that mob to begin with?" Tamahome protested, nevertheless looking a bit sheepish.

"You mean _after_ you beat them all up?" KC sniffed and crossed her arms. "Okay, so … maybe I _did_ go a little overboard," she admitted grudgingly.

"And something good did come from all of this," Hotohori added. "You succeeded in finding a third Seishi."

"Oh, yeah!" KC fixed Nuriko with an injured look. "How come you didn't tell me before that you were my Seishi?" she asked. "I might've been a little nicer to you if I'd known." _Although, _she _could__'__ve __also __been __a __little __nicer __to _me …

"It didn't cross my mind," Nuriko replied carelessly, focusing on rearranging the way one of her sleeves lay across her lap.

_I__'__ll __just __bet __it __didn__'__t_.

"Nuriko's the one who saved us," Tamahome pointed out, his voice filled with admiration. "She lifted all that rubble off of us like she was flinging pillows. If it wasn't for her, they wouldn't have reached us in time."

"Really?" KC looked at her, wide-eyed. "So your power is being freakishly strong?"

"I wouldn't put it _that_ way," Nuriko snapped, glaring at her.

"Then how would you put it? Abnormal?"

"Why, you—!"

"I believe, since it seems KC is feeling better, that Nuriko might be willing to get settled into her new quarters," Hotohori hastily cut in, effectively ending the argument. Turning his gaze to the other Seishi, he added, "Naturally, because of your duty to the Priestess, you are dismissed from the Seraglio. You will room near KC along with Tamahome and myself, and the other four Seishi when we find them. You may return to your former quarters and pack your belongings and I'll send somebody to have them moved immediately."

"As you command, Sire."

Nuriko rose gracefully and bowed low to the emperor, and KC couldn't help but notice the sadness in her voice as she spoke, not to mention the bitter resentment in the brief glare directed at her before the woman turned to leave the room. In that moment, KC felt sorry for the poor woman. It seemed like all of Nuriko's hopes were being dashed to pieces, all because she had shown up and become Priestess. No wonder the Seishi seemed to hate her so much.

Still, KC knew she'd have to try and get along with her. She supposed convincing the woman that she _wasn't_ trying to steal Hotohori out from under her nose might go a long way in putting a dent in her hostility.

_If __I __can__'__t __count __on __her __to __be __my __Seishi, __then __this __summoning __business __is __never __going __to __work __and __I__'__ll __be __stuck __here __for __good._

With that rather foreboding thought in mind, KC thus put together the opening plans of "Operation: Make Friends with Nuriko." Her first step, of course, would be to convince the disgruntled Seishi that killing her Priestess wouldn't be doing the empire any favors in the long run. And after that…

Well, after that, she supposed she'd just have to wing it.

KC never _had_ been very good at planning things out ahead of time.


	10. The Royal Matchmaker

**Ten  
****The Royal Matchmaker**

_I must have a death wish._

KC stood before the door of Nuriko's chambers and tried to remember why she'd come. Oh. Right. That whole making-Nuriko-not-hate-her idea. She sighed and wished she was wearing armor, or at least something a bit more protective than the towel wrapped around her hair and the soft robe belted snugly at her waist. Maybe she should have waited until morning to confront her newest Seishi, with the fortification of breakfast, and possibly Tamahome, to back her up. On the other hand, she reasoned, it was probably better to resolve their misunderstandings as soon as possible, before she lost her nerve completely.

The fact that she was losing her nerve anyway, now that she was actually there, was beside the point. _Where __has __my __sanity __fled __to, __I __wonder?_ She wished heartily to go look for it, but as she'd already knocked, it was a little too late to turn tail and run now.

Her ears picked up the telltale sign of movement from inside the room; hurried footsteps, a muffled thud followed immediately by a sharp yelp, and then Nuriko's slightly pained, "Enter!"

Opening the door cautiously, KC peered around it into the room, finding the woman lounging like a big, purple cat on a silk-cushioned chaise. "Ummm … are you okay? I heard some noises…"

Nuriko looked surprised for a brief moment, which quickly gave way to irritation. "What do _you_ want?" she sniffed.

"It's nice to see you, too. Mind if I sit down? Oh, why thank you." KC plopped unceremoniously into a chair. "So, what was all the noise about? Are you, like, hiding a lover under your bed or something?"

Nuriko turned bright red and stood up. "I was only changing," she huffed. "It's nothing!" Even though that "nothing" was causing her to walk with a distinctive limp. "Was there something in particular that you wanted, or did you just come to annoy me?" She hobbled over to her vanity and picked up an ivory comb, running it brusquely through her silken hair.

"Yes." KC got down to business. "I came to assure you absatively, posolutely, one-hundred percent that I do not have any plans or desire to snatch His Majesty out from under your nose."

Nuriko paused in her frantic hair-combing to eye her.

As she _wasn't_ attempting to gouge out KC's eyeballs with said comb, KC took it as a sign to continue. "Hotohori is my Seishi and my friend, and that's as far as it goes between us. I mean, I've only known him for like three days, and besides, you said yourself, why in the world would a guy like that ever go for a girl like me? I'm not empress material at all. And I'm not ready to get married to _anyone_ at the moment."

Nuriko frowned. "Then why was His Majesty embracing you in such a manner in your room earlier?" she accused.

KC felt herself blush at the memory of the emperor's arms surrounding her so tightly. She felt warm inside just thinking about it. But now was hardly the time to dwell on such pleasant memories, she reminded herself, taking note of the thunderous expression directed her way. "Er, well, Hotohori's really an affectionate sort of person," she stuttered, squirming a bit in her seat. "So, I guess it's only natural he's relieved that the single hope of saving his empire is … you know … not dead and all. Hey, I bet if it'd been his puppy caught under that mess, he'd have reacted the exact same way, right?"

"His Majesty doesn't have a puppy."

KC's eyebrow twitched. "Um, I think you kinda missed the point with that one."

Nuriko sniffed and went back to combing her hair.

"Look, I'm a victim, too, ya know!" KC cried, beginning to lose her temper. "I don't know how to convince you I'm telling the truth. I'm sorry you got taken out of the harem and all but how is that _my_ fault? Do you think I _want_ to be here? I just want to go home right now and hang out with my best friends and hug my mom, but until I get this whole summoning thing over with I'm stuck _here_. It'd make life a lot easier if you'd cooperate. I mean, think about it, will you? Hello, logic? The sooner I can summon Suzaku, the sooner I'll be out of your hair, and the sooner _you_ can go back to wooing Hotohori without any worry of interference on my part, 'cause _I'll_ be back home where I belong. That should make _both_ of us happy, shouldn't it?"

"Very well." Nuriko finally put down the comb and turned to face her, a crafty gleam in her eyes. "If you truly mean what you say, then prove it to me," she challenged.

KC's brow furrowed. "And I'm to do that … how?"

Nuriko smiled brightly. "Since you claim you have no designs on His Majesty, then it really shouldn't bother you to help _my_ case along," she began, examining her manicured nails with utmost innocence. "The emperor seems to hold you in high esteem. Surely if you drop a few hints here and there, let him know how _I_ feel and how I'd make a wonderful match for him as his empress, he'd start seriously considering my potential."

KC's jaw dropped. "You want me to set you up? Am I suddenly the royal matchmaker now?" she exclaimed indignantly.

Nuriko glared. "Do you want my help with the summoning or not?" she growled.

Personally, KC didn't think it was really a matter of _choice_ whether or not Nuriko agreed to help, considering that without her, the entire effort of summoning Suzaku would be fruitless, and Hotohori would not be happy if his empire came to ruin. But if it meant being able to live peacefully with the high-strung woman, she supposed _one_ little favor couldn't hurt. Still, the thought of telling Hotohori about Nuriko's feelings didn't sit quite right. That, or the fried pork she'd eaten for dinner was backing up on her.

"Are you sure it wouldn't be better for you to tell him these things yourself?" she asked hopefully. "I mean, I'm sure a love confession would mean _so_ much more to him if he heard it straight from the horse's mouth and all. Know what I mean?"

Nuriko shrugged. "Well, maybe I—Hey." Her eyes abruptly narrowed. "Who're you calling a horse?"

KC nearly fell off her chair. "Idiot…"

* * *

"Are you _sure_ I can't go and change first? It's not exactly proper to appear before the emperor wearing nothing but a bathrobe!" KC hissed, dragging her feet as Nuriko determinedly pushed her down the hall.

"Strange, _I_ thought he already saw a lot more than just your bathrobe."

Nuriko smirked as KC blanched, then turned bright red. "Does the whole _palace_ know about that?" she hissed.

"Word travels fast around here. Better get used to it." Nuriko patted her arm. "Ah, there's his door. Now go for it!" She gave the Priestess a final shove that sent her careening down the hall, before disappearing around the corner again. "Come straight back and tell me what he said!" she called gaily over her shoulder.

KC muttered a few unsavory comments under her breath as she straightened herself and knocked on the door. She was surprised to find it unguarded for a change, but it certainly helped her out. No need to contend with nosy guards, at least. This was going to be humiliating enough.

"Please enter."

Taking a breath, KC pushed open the door and stepped into his sitting room, surprised to find it empty. "Uh … Hotohori?"

"KC?" Hotohori's surprised voice drifted from his bedchamber, and she stepped toward the doorway, smiling brightly when she saw the emperor sitting on the edge of his bed, gowned in a deep crimson robe. He looked delighted to see her standing there."KC, what a pleasant surprise. Please, come in. Make yourself comfortable. May I get you anything? Would you like some tea?"

"Oh, no, I'm fine," she replied. "I just, uh, wanted to talk to you about something." She chickened out, then, and hastily added, "But I can definitely come back later if you're busy."

"I am never too busy to speak with you." He graced her with a heart-melting smile before taking on a more serious expression; his "emperor face". He gestured for her to sit.

She glanced around, but finding that the only place to sit was beside him on the bed, decided it would be much more comfortable to stand. Worrying her lip for a moment, she pondered on how to bring up the subject of Nuriko's feelings. How would Brady handle something like this, she wondered. Or Kimiko, for that matter? Neither of her friends were prone to beating around the bush. Especially when it came to guys, Brady was always embarrassingly direct.

"Um, I was just wondering if there's … anybody that you … liked," she finally ventured, after a few awkward moments. She was rewarded with an astonished glance, and felt herself blushing. "Uh, I'm not trying to be nosy or anything," she explained. "It's just that I know somebody who really likes you and … um … she wished for me to speak with you on her behalf."

At his questioning, strangely hopeful look, she continued, "This person … well, it's Nuriko."

She was surprised when his expression darkened slightly, a hint of disappointment flashing through those remarkable eyes for the briefest of moments. She might have only imagined it. "She really, _really_ likes you," she pressed on, just trying to get this most awkward conversation over with. "She would like it if you'd consider her to become, well, your empress, I guess."

KC shifted self-consciously at Hotohori's continued scrutiny, wishing he'd _say_ something already, darn it! "Ah, I guess she should be the one to tell you something like this, but believe it or not, she's kinda shy." She smiled nervously. "I just thought maybe you'd like to know how she feels. If you're looking to get married soon and all."

Hotohori's expression finally softened into a gentle smile as a certain _look_ came into his eyes. "What of you?" he asked, completely ignoring her question. "Do you have someone _you_ deeply care for? In your own world, perhaps?"

KC blinked at him, lips parted in a surprised O. "I—Well, no, not really," she stuttered, wondering how he had managed to switch the subject to her so skillfully.

"Not even Tamahome?" Hotohori ventured after a moment. "The two of you seem to get along … admirably."

"Tamahome?" KC sputtered around a laugh. "No, no, no! It's not like _that_ between Tama and me at all! We're just friends! Well, I never had a big brother so I kind of look up to him like one. He's cool that way, ya know?"

"I see." Hotohori sounded surprisingly relieved. "And what of me?" he asked. "Do you see me as an elder brother, as well?"

"You?" KC pursed her lips, not quite sure how to reply. Now that she thought about it, the way she treated Hotohori and the way she treated Tamahome were really quite different. With Tamahome, she bantered back and forth the same way she did with Brady and Kimiko, like one of her best pals. But she'd never dare treat Hotohori so disrespectfully. Even if he wasn't an emperor, he was still the sort of person who commanded respect with his mere presence. It was in the way he spoke, the way he moved. Proud, regal, the sort of man that people naturally held in high esteem. He was a natural-born leader, and he made people want to treat him like one.

"I really like you," she began slowly, trying to make sense out of her thoughts, "but I don't see you the same way as I do him, either."

"And why is that?" he asked softly. "Is it because of my position?"

"That's part of it," she admitted, "but it's more that, well, you just make me want to treat you like somebody important." She scratched her head. "Okay, maybe I can explain it like this. Tamahome is like a puppy. It's okay to romp around and play with a puppy, right?"

"I see." Hotohori's voice was very dry, and KC grinned. "So, Tamahome is a puppy. And, I am not?" His eyes crinkled in the way that showed he was amused.

"Nope! You're more like … a wolf," she said, encouraged by his response.

His brow furrowed. "A … wolf. Do you fear wolves?"

"No way! Wolves are amazing," she protested. "They're regal and beautiful and elegant. But you can't really _play_ with a wolf. You've gotta show a proper amount of respect. It's better to admire them from a distance."

Hotohori made a noncommittal sound in his throat as he studied her, not looking particularly flattered. She sighed. "Eh, maybe that wasn't the best comparison. I guess I'm not much good at them."

"No, I understand." His voice was very soft. "You mean that you hold me on a level above yourself, and see me as one not meant to be treated as an equal, a comrade. To you, I am an emperor. Not a man."

KC felt horrible. Her analogy had backfired terribly, it seemed. "Please don't misunderstand. It isn't that I don't see you as a man," she tried to explain. "Honestly, sometimes I see you as too _much_ of one aaaand that _really_ wasn't something you needed to know." She coughed into her fist, trying to ignore the dark flush she could feel burning in her cheeks as she lowered her gaze, thereby missing the sudden, sharpened interest in his. "Since we met, you've been nothing but kind to me, and you're not at all stuck-up or cruel like somebody else in your position might be," she fumbled on. "You genuinely care about the people who depend on you. You don't abuse the power you have, and you're humble in spite of it. You're an amazing person and I really admire you. Please don't feel like I don't consider you my friend, because I really do."

In the following silence, she chanced a glance at him, wondering if she'd said a little too much. Hotohori's eyes were fixed firmly on her, his gaze so intense that she felt herself blushing all over again. This conversation had gotten _way_ off track, and she sought to right it again, before things got any weirder. "So, um, you didn't actually tell me if you had anyone you cared for or not," she stammered. "I need to know what to tell Nuriko when I go back." She felt like a complete idiot, having never intended to say so much of how she felt, especially since she didn't fully understand it all herself. But Nuriko was still waiting for her and if she didn't go back soon, the woman would probably go on a rampage.

"Yes," Hotohori finally replied. His voice was very soft, a deep, velvet purr. "There is, in fact, somebody I care for a great deal. Someone that I've loved for a very long time."

"R-really?" KC chose to ignore the strange, faint disappointment she felt in favor of the much stronger panic his words induced. She hadn't considered what she'd say if Hotohori was, in fact, already involved with someone. _Poor __Nuriko,_ she thought. _She__'__ll __be __crushed __when __I __tell __her._ And one could only hope that Nuriko wouldn't express such disappointment by using KC's body as a punching bag. "So, is it someone in your harem?" she asked, figuring it'd be safer to give the purple-haired Seishi another target to focus her ire on. Just in case.

Hotohori laughed softly. "Ever since I was a boy," he murmured, "and I discovered my destiny to serve as a Suzaku Seishi, I have held the dream of one ideal woman in my mind." His hand reached to touch his throat where his symbol lay hidden, then moved to cover his heart. "She would be someone who would look at me and see not an emperor, but a man who possesses a heart that longs to love and to be loved for _who_ I am, and not merely what I would become."

His gaze rose to lock with KC's, and she felt her heart start to pound hard and rapidly in her chest at the many emotions she found glowing within the golden depths. "It has always been my dream that the Priestess of Suzaku would end my eternal loneliness." His voice was no more than a whisper, but KC could hear every word, even over the pounding in her ears. She vaguely felt him take her hand in a gentle grip, tugging her forward until he could grasp both of her arms and lower her onto the mattress.

She blinked, coming out of her stupor to find herself on her back, with the emperor hovering over her, his hands cradling her face. His eyes were deep, enigmatic pools, and she felt herself falling into them, softly drowning in their unceasing warmth. "H-Hotohori …?" she breathed, wondering if she hadn't passed out somewhere again.

"KC, surely you must realize … _you_ are the one I have dreamt of for so long," he murmured. His hair slid over his shoulder as he tilted his head. Silken locks ghosted softly across her face in a wash of sweet fragrance. "You are everything I prayed you would be. Your warmth and humor, your kindness. Your compassion for the plight of my empire. _You_ are my ideal woman. The one I hold closest to my soul."

Her eyes widened at this confession, her mouth opening as she struggled to think of some reply, some protest. But his thumb caressed sweetly over her lips, driving all coherent thought right out of her head, and all she could do was lay there as his face drew closer, his eyes slipping closed. In another moment, the very real, very solid pressure of his warm mouth came to rest tenderly against her own.


	11. Turning Tables the Seishi Way

**Eleven  
Turning ****Tables ****(the ****Seishi ****Way)**

"They're taking too long," Nuriko growled as she paced the hallway and absently chewed her thumbnail. "Just how long does it take to confess somebody else's love?" She peered around the corner and glared daggers at the emperor's door, as if trying to pierce right through it and impale the irritating little git of a girl beyond.

"And exactly _who_ is confessing who's love to whom?"

Nuriko released a squealing yelp and leaped a good two feet down the hall. "D-don't sneak up on me like that!" she snarled, turning to glare furiously at a very bemused Tamahome.

"And why are _you_ skulking around like a bandit trying not to get caught sneaking into the treasury?" The Seishi eyed her suspiciously. "Waiting for someone, are we?"

Nuriko glared, realizing he wasn't about to just go away as she was silently willing him to do. "If you _must_ know, Her Eminence is presently speaking with His Majesty on my behalf," she sniffed haughtily. "If all goes well, I should be the new empress by the time the next full moon rises."

One of Tamahome's eyebrows rose into his hairline. "She didn't go in dressed like _that_, did she?"He eyed Nuriko's ensemble, causing the woman to scowl fiercely and clutch the robe protectively around her throat, even though it was already as tightly closed as it could get.

"Just what are _you_ staring at?" she growled. " And so what if she did?"

Tamahome wisely held back an amused chortle. "Do you even realize how His Majesty feels about her?" His eyes narrowed accusingly. "I'll bet anything you're the one who put her up to this. She'd never willingly try and set him up with another woman on her own." He casually scratched his chin, before adding slyly, "You know, I didn't realize it before under all those robes, but you've got even smaller breasts than KC does. That must make her happy."

"_Shut __up!_" Nuriko roared.

Tamahome abruptly found himself flying down the hall, courtesy of her fist.

Brushing her hands in a satisfied manner, Nuriko eyed the closed door again, then started determinedly forward, pushing up her sleeve. "I'm goin' in," she growled. "She's been in there far too long. She'd better not have chickened out on me!"

Tamahome, having managed to pry himself from the Tama-shaped crater he'd made in the wall, hastily followed her. Not to stop her from spying, of course, as that would have been _highly_ suicidal on his part. He was simply determined to see for himself just what the heck was going on.

Together, keeping a careful eye out for passing guards, the pair put their ears to the door and—with much muttering and shoving and elbowing each other out of the way—finally settled to listen in on what was happening on the other side.

* * *

KC found herself drifting on waves of heightened sensation, sinking ever deeper into the rising tide of emotion that Hotohori was invoking with his kiss. She had never been kissed before, so she had nothing to compare to except for snatches of conversation between friends or classmates, various chick flicks, and the occasional cheesy romance novel stuffed well beneath her bed. But, as far as she could tell, Hotohori blew them _all_ out of the water.

It was dangerous, this kiss. _Kisses,_ her mind corrected hazily. It had far surpassed the point of a single kiss, his mouth fluttering across hers with the breathy softness of butterfly wings, pressing over and over, slow and sensual, slipping stronger and darker longings into her subconscious. She found herself wanting _more_, and it seemed Hotohori understood her silent wishes, for the soft pressure of his lips grew heavier, deeper, making her senses swim. She felt intoxicated by his taste, his scent, his indescribable warmth as he skillfully coaxed her uncertain response.

She was no fool. She knew enough about this sort of thing to realize—even if said realization was currently banished way, _waaay_ in the back of her mind—that she was treading dangerous waters. The problem was, the pleasure far outweighed the knowledge that it needed to end _soon_. It was just so hard to _think_, especially when Hotohori made that particular little noise in the back of his throat, like half a purr and half a moan…

She heard him murmur softly through the kiss, suckling at her lower lip in a way that made her toes curl. She slowly realized it had been her name he'd whispered, and she struggled through the pleasant haze clouding her mind. She managed to land in reality just long enough to figure out that his hand, which had been resting innocently beside her head, was now softly caressing her throat beneath her loosened robe, making its way steadily southward in a heated trail.

Sparks of desire flushed her skin wherever he touched, and she felt herself melting further as his weight pressed heavily into her, a muscled leg slipping between hers to pin her down. But when his seeking fingers lightly grazed her breast, his palm softly caressing over its peak and sending a shock of pleasure from her chest all the way down her arm into her fingertips, common sense abruptly reasserted itself. Along with no small amount of panic. She released a choked-off cry and finally found the strength to shove the emperor off of her, sucking in much-needed oxygen through her burning lips. "H-hold your horses there, pal!" she panted heavily. "Wh—You—Just what the _hell_ do you think you're _doing_?"

Hotohori sat up very slowly, his eyes dark and liquid with arousal as he regarded her. His lips looked as swollen as hers felt, soft and red and oh-so-kissable. She was sorely tempted to pull him back to her again, and had to fight to resist the urge.

"Forgive me," he murmured. His voice was a husky rasp that grated against her senses like rough velvet. She shuddered at the sound of it. He had the grace to look embarrassed, staring at his offending hand as though he didn't recognize it. "I … I did not mean to let myself get so carried away. It's just, I've waited so long to find you, and now that you are finally here…" He trailed off, shivering lightly as he wrapped both arms around himself. His liquid eyes met hers with unnerving intensity, silently telling her in no uncertain terms what he truly desired.

KC swallowed audibly, self-consciously straightening her robe as she slowly sat up, too embarrassed to look him in the eye. Unfortunately, her wandering gaze fell upon his lap, instead, and all the blood rushed to her head as she hastily glanced away.

He graced her with a somewhat self-deprecating smile. "Forgive me," he repeated, his cheeks flushed as he subtly shifted away from her.

"I—That is—I wasn't expecting you—Um…" She gave up trying to talk and instead nervously plucked at the silken sheets. She spent a few moments weighing her options. One: make a mad dash for the door and hope she didn't permanently offend him. Two: stay and allow herself to be thoroughly seduced.

Decisions, decisions…

"Has my confession frightened you?" Hotohori's softly-voiced question jerked her out of her musings, as did the gentle hand raising her chin so she would meet his eyes.

"No! Um. W-well, maybe a little. I-it's just that—I mean, you took me totally by surprise! We barely know each other and I never thought you'd ever—Well, it's not like I'm anyone _special_ or anything and—" She cut herself off before she _really_ began to babble.

Hotohori smiled brilliantly. "There will be plenty of time for us to come to know each other." He took her hand earnestly. "KC, I know you said that you wished to return to your world when Suzaku has been summoned, but it is my wish that you remain here, instead, and become my empress."

KC's jaw dropped, gaping at him in complete shock. "I … I—Wait, _marriage_? Become an _empress_? I can't do that! I'm too young!"

"You are sixteen, are you not?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then you are of a legal age to wed. In this country there are women who marry as young as thirteen. It is not at all uncommon."

"It is where _I__'__m_ from!" she blurted, panicked. "I just—I can't marry you! Or _anyone!_ I've gotta go home and—"

"It's all right," he interrupted, gently running his fingers through her hair. "I do not expect you to decide immediately. I understand this is … something of a shock for you."

Talk about the understatement of the millennium! KC didn't think her senses would _ever_ stop reeling.

"But, please, consider my proposal carefully," he continued seriously. "It will certainly be a large adjustment in your life, but I will be with you to help you through it. KC, I have always loved you, more than anyone. I hope that, in time, you will come to love me, as well."

"But—" KC found, gazing into his hopeful, pleading eyes, that she just couldn't outright refuse him, even though common sense dictated otherwise.

There was no way she was ready to get married. She was still trying to make it out of high school in one piece, and she had barely even begun to consider what she wanted to do afterward. An empress had certainly never figured into the equation. Besides, she hated politics—The Presidential speeches she'd been forced to endure in Social Studies had put her to sleep enough times for her to acknowledge this—and what did _she_ know about running a country? Especially one in an entirely different _universe_?

So why was it so difficult to just say no?

She was saved, however, when Hotohori abruptly stiffened. Without a word, he rose from the bed and strode from the chamber toward the door. Surprised, and more than a little confused, she leaned over as far as she could to watch as he pulled the heavy door open with a sharp jerk.

Nuriko and Tamahome tumbled into the room, sprawling ungracefully at the emperor's bare feet as startled exclamations colored the air.

KC yelped and promptly fell off the bed. Scrambled to her feet and hastily readjusted her skewed robe, trying to look as though she _hadn't_ just been in the middle of a hot-and-heavy make-out session.

Hotohori merely stood there and glowered, uncaring of the fact that he was still in a rather aroused state that his loosely-belted robe did little to hide.

As for the two eavesdroppers, as soon as they figured out just who was standing over them, they promptly closed their eyes and began snoring loudly.

"You may as well get up." Hotohori's voice was dry as a desert. "You're not fooling anyone." He turned on his heel, readjusting his garments as he went.

Tamahome coughed into his hand as he sat up. "Uh, I just came along to pick up KC," he said nonchalantly. "Nuriko's been waiting for awhile and … er … she was getting a bit worried about her, that's all."

Nuriko looked as though she'd like to rip Tamahome's tongue out of his head. She also looked as if she'd like to rip _off_ KC's head. The Priestess felt her stomach drop into her feet as she realized her Seishi had probably heard, well, pretty much everything.

_ I__'__m __not __gonna __live __to __see __the __next __sunrise, __am __I?_

So much for her plan to win the woman over.

"While I have given you permission to visit my chambers as you wished, perhaps, in the future, you both might use a bit more discretion," Hotohori advised grimly.

"Er, duly noted, Your Majesty," Tamahome quickly replied, not-so-subtly attempting to propel Nuriko down the hall. "G'night, KC! See you in the morning!" He flashed her an obnoxious wink, managing to drag the balking woman around the corner.

"Uh, wait a sec! I'll go with you!" KC sputtered, scrambling after them.

"KC." Hotohori's soft voice stilled her in her tracks. "Please remember what I told you. Perhaps you are unprepared to seriously consider my proposal, but I promise that I'll do anything to win your love." He held up a hand when she opened her mouth to protest. "I would never _order_ you to stay against your will," he assured her, "but that does not mean I won't spend my time courting you properly. I shall do my very best to woo you, and make you fall as much in love with me as I am with you."

She opened her mouth several times, for once at a complete loss for words. His serious gaze softened as he took in her uncertain expression and pale features. "You seem tired. You may sleep in my chambers tonight." He stroked a hand softly over her hair.

"Uh, no, that's okay. I-I'll just go back to my room." She backed hastily away from him. Her entire body was _still_ sparking with the heat of those few passionate minutes; she wasn't sure she trusted herself to resist should he decide to pick things up where they'd left off. She _knew_ she didn't trust him not to try. No matter how good or noble he was, he was still a man, after all. As Brady always said, one could always count on a man to possess a one-track mind, and most times that track ran straight through the gutter.

She stepped into the hallway with the full intention of leaving. However, the first thing she saw was Nuriko lying in wait, an angry, red-violet eye peering around the corner. Said eye narrowed dangerously when it set its sight on KC, and she squeaked and hurriedly jumped back into the room, slamming the door and leaning on it heavily.

Upon noticing Hotohori's startled frown, she grinned weakly and scratched her head. "Eh heh heh. M-maybe I'll take you up on that offer, after all. I am sorta tired. Dunno if I have the strength to make it all the way down … the … hallway. I could, you know, sprawl out on the floor. A few blankets, maybe a pillow or two. It'd be just like a sleepover!" She coughed into her hand and attempted to look less nervous than she felt.

"I would never dream of making my beloved sleep on the floor," Hotohori scolded, flashing her a playful smile.

"Well, I'm not gonna share your _bed_, if _that__'__s_ what you're thinking!" she blurted, and quickly slapped her hand over her mouth.

Hotohori's cheeks darkened. "I—No, that isn't what I meant," he stuttered. "Please, don't think I'd take—Just come with me." He led her across the expansive room toward yet another doorway, opened into a smaller chamber decorated in shades of cream and gold. Though less lavishly furnished, it was still beautiful and elegant in its simplicity. A smaller version of his elaborate bed graced the middle of the floor. "You may sleep in here."

Wondering why on earth anyone would need two bedrooms all to themselves, she peered curiously into the apartment. "It's beautiful. A bit too feminine for you, though." She glanced up at him. "Is this room meant for your, uh, future empress?"

He chuckled softly. "No. It is merely a spare room. The empress shall have apartments prepared for her in the Seraglio, with the other wives."

"Other wives." KC frowned as she recalled something Nuriko had told her during their first meeting. She hadn't thought much about it at the time, but suddenly, it seemed a whole lot more personal. "The emperor … takes more than one wife?" she asked uncertainly.

"Traditionally, yes."

"But, the empress is…"

"She is First Wife, held in esteem and preferred above all the others."

"So I would be … First Wife?"

"Yes."

Her frown deepened. "No."

"I … beg your pardon?"

"I don't want to be a First Wife. I want to be an _only_ wife. In _my_ country, being married to more than one woman at a time is illegal," she explained darkly. "Not to mention, it's generally frowned upon by polite society. Any man who would do that sort of thing is nothing but a lying, cheating asshole."

He appeared startled at her vehemence.

She looked down, blushing faintly. "Sorry for the language," she muttered. "But, really, why would the emperor even _need_ more than one wife, anyway?"

"In the possibility that the First Wife is barren, there must always be another who can bear the emperor an heir. More than one, if possible, as … accidents tend to happen to those closest in line to the throne, and often to their mothers." There was a slightly bitter twist to his mouth as he said this, as though reliving an unpleasant memory.

KC considered asking, then thought the better of it. Besides, she was really having issues with this whole wife thing. "So, what if it's the emperor's fault the First Wife can't have kids?" she challenged.

He hesitated. "I … am not certain I understand your meaning."

"I mean, what if his boys aren't swimming upstream?" At his continuing confusion, she rolled her eyes and said bluntly, "What if he's _sterile_? You know, his sperm is dead? You do know what I mean by sperm, right?"

He flushed, offended. "KC! Th-this is hardly an appropriate—"

"Oh, come off it," she sighed. "I'm not six. I've had all the sex ed classes. Don't look at me like that! I'm not saying _you're_ the one who's sterile, but hypothetically, it's just downright sexist to push all the blame on the woman when the trouble could just as easily stem from the man! So what happens in that case? Does the empress get to pick a harem of gorgeous men and have a lie-in with them until one of them impregnates her?"

As Hotohori sputtered for a reply, a bit of KC's World History lessons suddenly flashed through her mind regarding this very issue, and she blanched. "And don't you even _tell_ me that the lady is exiled or imprisoned or _killed_ over it, as if it's all her fault! That sort of shit's happened in my world too many times and if that's the case in this one, I am _so _out of here."

She thought for a moment that Hotohori might actually pass out from lack of oxygen, and prayed she hadn't offended the poor guy _too_ badly. "It's something you ought to think about," she added with an offhand shrug. "Anyway, if you're so intent on marrying me, I guess I should warn you that I _don't_ share. There will be no second or third wives, no consorts on the side, no secret lovers in the garden. If I ever caught _my_ man cheating, he'd be out on his ass in a heartbeat. 'Til death do us part' means me and him. Not me, him, and all of his whores."

Hotohori gaped at her, looking as if she'd just kicked his puppy.

She sighed, a grim smile sliding over her lips. "I'm sorry. I know I'm being really rude to you, and you don't deserve that. But now that I've made my beliefs clear, maybe you've changed your mind? Nuriko's probably a better choice for you. She understands how things work around here, and she seems perfectly willing to play by the rules. She'd probably make a great First Wife, come to think of it. She's awfully good at being bossy."

KC fully expected the emperor to launch into a lecture about daring to speak so crudely on such a personal topic. She wouldn't have been surprised if he kicked her out on _her_ ass for speaking so defiantly. She didn't blame him one bit if he was angry, although she _really_ hoped she hadn't pissed him off enough to throw her back in that dungeon for awhile.

It was all the more surprising when, instead, her face was gently cupped in his large, warm hands, her chin tilted to meet the soft pressure of his mouth. She barely stood her ground, her legs trembling as his lips caressed her for long, heady moments, before he withdrew to level a searching gaze on her bewildered face. There was no anger in his eyes, only sincere affection and strong admiration.

"Thank you for your honesty," he murmured, his breath ghosting across her lips. "Your wishes are certainly something I shall keep in mind." His smile was faint. "But perhaps I might ease _your _mind. Although I understand the practicality, and even the necessity of it, I have never been overly fond of this particular tradition. Since I first learned of your existence, you have become the only wife I've ever wished to obtain. I do not desire to bed anyone other than the woman I love most, and that woman has always been you alone."

She stared up at him, flushed and flustered all over again, nearly swaying on her feet. "Oh," she squeaked. And it seemed the only thing she _could_ say as he led her into the chamber, tucked her carefully into the bed, pressed a soft kiss to her mouth, and finally left her to her own befuddled musings.


	12. Making Amends & Other Health Hazards

**Twelve  
Making ****Amends ****& ****Other ****Health ****Hazards**

When KC woke up, she felt disoriented and groggy. Slowly sitting up and scratching her head, she blearily looked around and frowned when she failed to immediately recognize her surroundings.

"Good morning, Majesty. I trust you slept well."

"Yes, thank you. Quite well. Much better than I have in a long while, actually."

The quiet voices shook KC out of her lethargy and recollection of the previous night flooded her mind, causing her face to take on the rather charming hue of an overripe tomato. She reached up to touch her lips, reliving the memory of Hotohori's impassioned kisses. "That wasn't a dream?" she mumbled into her hand, blinking down at the pristine white coverlet. More importantly … she'd actually spent the _night_? In his _rooms_? And had made it through completely unscathed? Hotohori possessed a lot more self-control than she'd given him credit for. Hell, the man was a friggin' _saint_.

Well, either that, or he'd actually come to his senses sometime between the few minutes he'd put her to bed and taken to his own, realizing KC wasn't the living dream he'd seemed to believe. That seemed a far more likely scenario.

All the same … she'd spent the night. In the emperor's private rooms. Thereby starting all sorts of juicy rumors that had probably reached the other end of the country by now. "Argh! Tama's gonna be harassing me all _day_ about this!" she groaned, flopping back into the pillows. And probably every day after, too.

Even more frightening, Nuriko in all of her freakishly-strong wrath would most likely be out for blood. KC felt it would be prudent to avoid the Seishi at all costs. Even if it meant being locked up in the dungeon again. For her own protection, of course.

"Okay. What I need is an excuse. A really _good_ excuse." She absently gnawed a thumbnail as she thought. "Let's see now. 'Well, Nuriko, at least you found out he doesn't love you _before_ you made a complete ass out of yourself trying to seduce him'."

Right. Would she like her head to be fried or boiled once Nuriko finished ripping it off her neck?

"Okay, I can do better. Ummm … 'He was possessed by an evil spirit last night and didn't fully comprehend what he was saying. He really does love you! _Waaay_ deep down inside'…" She grimaced. "Okay, even _I_ wouldn't believe that one."

She thought some more, then smacked her fist into her palm. "Got it!'He went temporarily blind due to fatigue and mistook me for you'. That could work!"

Assuming, of course, Nuriko was completely gullible. And hadn't heard a word of the part about Hotohori always loving the Priestess of Suzaku. KC doubted she was _that_ lucky.

"Gaah! I give up!" she groaned again, throwing herself back onto the pillows. "I might as well kill _myself_ and get it over with. At least I won't make it hurt."

Footsteps alerted KC to an approaching someone, and a second later Hotohori appeared in the doorway. He smiled softly when he saw she was awake, and KC suddenly found herself overcome with nerves. "I thought I heard your voice," the emperor told her by way of greeting. "Good morning."

She mumbled shyly, unable to meet his eyes. Good grief, what did a girl _say_ to the man she'd been heavily making out with the night before? None of the classroom gossip had ever gotten around to discussing the morning after.

If he noticed her discomfort, he simply ignored it as he approached her, still smiling cheerfully. "What were you talking about, all by yourself?" he questioned. "Were you dreaming?"

"Oh, just planning out my last will and testament. Nothing important."

He blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Uh, nothing. Anyway, um, thanks for lending me the room. I should probably go back to my own, though, before Mei Lin starts thinking I've been kidnapped or something." She chuckled awkwardly as she slid off the huge bed, finding herself face-to-chest with the emperor. She looked up at him nervously, not sure what he wanted, but she wouldn't have been surprised if he grabbed her and started kissing again, what with that _look_ in his eyes and everything…

_ Wait. __No. __Kissing __is __a _bad _thing. __Kissing __leads __to __other _very _bad __things! __None __of __that, __now, __young __lady!_

Darn her conscience, anyway. Especially when it sounded just like her mother. If _that_ wasn't enough to knock any amorous ideas clean out of her skull, nothing would.

When Hotohori leaned closer, tilting her face up whilst lowering his own, she panicked and quickly backed away, nearly tripping over the rug in her haste. "Um, yeah. Going … now," she stammered as she eased past him and practically bolted for the door. She was vaguely aware of the slightly hurt expression on his face as she raced back to the safety of her own room, vowing to apologize to him for her abrupt departure later.

* * *

KC found it surprisingly easy to avoid Nuriko for the rest of the day; as it so happened, Nuriko was doing her darnedest to avoid KC, as well. While this relieved her greatly, it also worried her. If Nuriko was _that_ mad that she wasn't even willing to _look_ at her, much less attempt to murder her, then how in the world was she going to be able to convince the woman to do her job and be a Seishi?

The frantic palace activity had settled into a lazy crawl with the departure of the visiting warriors. As it turned out (and not very surprisingly), Hotohori had thoroughly chastised them and sent them on their way. "Thanks, but you're not who we're looking for, considering you tried to off the priestess, and destroyed half the courtyard while doing so" was pretty much the gist of the lecture. Surprisingly enough, they'd all gone on their merry way without so much as a grumble. Probably because they were just glad to get _away_ from that lunatic girl with their heads still attached to their necks.

While KC was relieved that none of those men were her Seishi (or were holding any grudges, for that matter), it didn't really help her current situation. She still had four more people to find. People who could potentially be scattered halfway across the world, and just sitting around on her duff avoiding the Seishi she did have wasn't going to get her anywhere.

"So where've _you_ been hiding all day?"

KC squealed loudly and jumped three feet into the air. "T-T-Tama!" she gasped, clutching at her heart. "Would you not _do_ that?" She punched him soundly on the arm and glared. "What are you, part cat_?_"

"S-s-sorry about th-that."

His apology probably would have sounded more sincere if he hadn't forced it out between guffaws.

KC tapped her foot, crossing her arms and pursing her lips until the Seishi managed to calm down. "So," he continued, "you haven't answered my question. Oh, wait!" A sly grin crossed his face. "I know where you were. Probably holed up in His Majesty's be—" He suddenly found her clenched fist two inches from his nose.

"Finish that sentence and you'll be eating my knuckles. _For_ your information, I wasn't 'holed up' anywhere. Where've _you_ been all day, anyway?"

"Who me? Oh, I've been into town." He casually pulled what looked like a string of coins with holes drilled into the middle of them from his tunic. "Been earning me some spare cash, is all." He cackled and held the weird-looking money to his cheek lovingly, before looping the string around his neck like a gaudy necklace.

KC squeaked. "You went into town and you didn't take _me_? How rude!"

He rolled his eyes. "Well, I'd have invited you along, but I figure what with you being _engaged_ and all, you'd rather spend your time snuggling with your boyfriend," he sniggered.

"I'm not engaged, you dork," she huffed, turning red. "I didn't exactly say yes."

Tamahome's jaw dropped, and he immediately placed a warm hand against her flushed forehead. "You turned down the _Emperor __of __Konan__'__s_ proposal? Are you _sick_ or something?"

"_Shut __up,_" KC hissed when his exclamation managed to attract the attention of several nearby servants. She gripped his sleeve and pulled him further away. "I kind of told him no, but he seemed to take it as more of an 'I'll think about it' and I didn't really correct this assumption…"

"So there's still hope. Just tell him you thought about it and have decided you'd be completely insane to reject him," Tamahome pressed.

"But I don't even _know_ the guy that well. I'd be completely insane to just _accept_ him. Besides, I've gotta go home _sometime_, you know."

"Girls from your world really _are_ crazy," Tamahome scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief.

"I'm not crazy. I'm _practical_."

"Whatever. I'm gonna count my money now, so if you'll excuse me…" And with that, he pulled the string from his neck and started tallying his coins. Right there in the middle of the walkway.

KC wrinkled her nose as she watched him. "You have a really creepy look on your face, you know."

"Twenty-two … Uh-huh," he murmured distractedly.

She rolled her eyes. "And your head's on fire."

"Thirty-nine … that's nice. Be quiet. Forty-one…"

"Fifty-three. Ninety-two."

"F-forty-five … forty-six…"

"Sixty-seven. Twenty-two. Nine hundred and eighteen. Twelve."

"Ninety—Er, no. Wait … twenty-seven … I mean, nine hun—_Gah_! _Stop_ that!" Tamahome glared at her as she snickered.

"Serves you right for ignoring me. By the way, you haven't seen Nuriko around, have you?"

"Why, are you looking for her?" he responded absently as he recounted his precious coins.

"Oh, sure. It's a secret fetish of mine. To have my living flesh flayed from my bones by jealous former concubines with permanent PMS, I mean."

"Oh. Well, in that case, did you check her room?" Tamahome, having finally reached the end of his coin string, frowned darkly and proceeded to untie the knot to dump the contents onto the middle of the walk. Where he then proceeded to count them all over again, muttering something about being stiffed three coins.

KC sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead. "And obviously, the only way I'm gonna get any decent conversation out of _him_ is if I glue a bag of money to my face," she grumbled as she stalked away.

* * *

As it turned out, Nuriko was not in her room. Rather, she was leaning against the railing of the outer hallway, gazing wistfully up at the sky, which was just showing the pale colors of sunset. _It__'__s_ _amazing __how __pretty __and __serene __she __looks __when __she __isn__'__t __attempting __to __gouge __out __my __eyeballs,_ KC thought as she cautiously proceeded.

If Nuriko was aware of her Priestess's approach, she gave no sign of being so. Nevertheless, KC didn't relax her guard any more than she would around a coiled-up rattlesnake. After a long moment, during which she continued to be ignored, she drew in a deep breath and forged ahead. "So, um, I guess our plan kind of backfired a little, huh?"

A finger twitched on Nuriko's right hand. That was all.

"Look. I swear on my father's _grave__—_well, I would if he was dead, anyway—that I had _no_ _idea_ Hotohori felt even _remotely_ anything like that for me. I mean, I still think it was like all some big joke and that the next time he sees me he's gonna laugh in my face about it. I can't imagine someone like him would feel … _that __way_… about somebody like me. It just doesn't compute."

Nuriko glanced over at her through icy eyes, her face perfectly expressionless. KC fought off the overwhelming urge to shiver.

"Eh … um … he was fatigued and suddenly got possessed by an evil spirit and went temporarily blind and mistook me for you?"

The Seishi gave a rather unladylike snort at that, her lips twitching upward, just a little. "Oh, never mind." She sighed dramatically and delicately massaged her temple. "How can I _possibly_ stay angry at somebody as pathetic as you?"

"Um." KC couldn't decide whether she felt more relieved or insulted.

"All the same." Nuriko fixed her with a pointed look. "You cost me my best maidservant, my place in the seraglio, _and_ my future husband all within a single week. Don't I have just cause to be a bit … miffed?"

"That's not my fault!" KC protested.

"Of course it is. You showed up, didn't you?" Nuriko sniffed and turned her nose into the air. "Mei Lin was my only servant, you know, and very well-trained. I haven't found a suitable replacement for her yet."

"She's not a poodle," KC muttered, deciding it would be unwise at this juncture to point out that the reason _why_ Mei Lin was so obedient was because "Lady Kourin" scared the shit out of her. "Besides," she continued grumpily, "it wasn't like I _asked_ Hotohori to take away your maid, and I sure as hell never asked him to _propose_ to me!"

"Well, all you need do about _that_ is turn him down, of course." Nuriko calmly picked a stray thread off the embroidery of her sleeve.

"Well…"

She shot the Priestess a sharp glance. "You _did_ turn him down, didn't you?"

KC was definitely squirming. "I _tried_ to, but…"

"But _what_?" Nuriko growled.

"Well, I sort of got the feeling he wasn't going to give up so easily. I mean, he _is_ the emperor, right? I'm probably, like, the first person who ever told him no. It's probably just an ego thing, that's all. Doesn't wanna lose face being rejected by me," KC hurriedly explained.

Nuriko pursed her lips. "Then I suppose you'll just have to resist his advances until he _does _give up," she said. "It shouldn't be so hard. A man can only take so much rejection before his pride gets the better of him, after all."

KC scowled. "Sure. I'll do that. Piece of cake," she muttered sarcastically. Nuriko made it sound so _easy_, but in her experience, fending off Hotohori when he was in full-out, come-hither seduction mode was about as simple as catching rain in a butterfly net. She was only human, after all. Her poor, teenage hormones could only handle so much testosterone before her higher brain functions began to shut down.

As her last encounter with the enigmatic emperor had so nicely proven.

"As for Mei Lin, if you simply send her back to me, I suppose I'll be willing to forgive you for that little misunderstanding, as well."

KC winced. She couldn't possibly do that to Mei Lin. It'd be on par with sending a lamb into a wolf den, and she'd never live it down if she ended up permanently traumatizing the poor kid. "Can't you just … train another girl or something? Mei Lin just got settled in and—"

"I've already told you, nobody else is working out. Lazy girls, the whole lot of them."

KC gritted her teeth. "Well, what if … I stepped in and took over for awhile," she offered tightly. "Just 'til, you know, you can find a proper replacement."

"Hmmm …" Nuriko pressed a finger to her pursed lips, eyeballing her in the manner of a lion sizing up an unwary gazelle. "The Priestess of Suzaku, whom I am meant to serve … serving _me_, instead?" A slow smile spread across her lips, one that set KC's teeth on edge. "I do believe that irony is simply too _delicious_ to pass up," she purred, reaching out to snatch KC by the wrist. "Very well, your offer is accepted. Let's get started right away, shall we?"

KC yelped as she found herself being hauled into the Seishi's chambers, and was confronted with the sight of clothes and linens draped everywhere, dishes on the small table waiting to be cleared, and the sort of general untidiness she might expect to find in … well, her own bedroom, to be exact. "Wow. This place is a pigsty," she said bluntly. Then yelped when Nuriko's bruising grip tightened painfully.

"Very observant. Clean it up," she practically growled, shoving a broom into KC's free hand. "I'll be having my evening bath, now. When I come back, I expect this place to be presentable."

And with a careless wave of her hand, Nuriko swept from the room and left the befuddled Priestess wondering what she'd just gotten herself into.


	13. How to Swallow Pride & Not Choke on It

**Thirteen  
****How to Swallow One's Pride (and Not Choke On It)**

"You look sick," Tamahome said critically, taking note of the dark circles under KC's eyes and the pallor of her skin.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," she muttered in response, stabbing at a dumpling with her chopstick. "Just tired, is all." It didn't surprise her that she looked like the waking dead. She sort of felt like the waking dead. She supposed it was only normal, considering how Nuriko had kept her well into the night, insisting on her help for varying tasks, such as combing out her wealth of hair ("Two hundred strokes on each side! Don't pull so hard, idiot!"), massaging her feet ("Are you _trying_to break my toes? Be more gentle with a lady's delicate feet!"), and refolding the exact same garments she'd just put away, after the Seishi had returned and gleefully pulled out and discarded one robe after another. She _claimed_ she was choosing the next day's outfit, a task that required careful consideration in order to look one's best; KC suspected it was a task normally completed in the mornings, and probably only took fifteen minutes, tops, as opposed to the hour she was forced to endure telling Nuriko over and over that the last ten outfits were just _fine_, and could she please go to bed now?

Tamahome raised a skeptical eyebrow at KC's sullen expression. Quite frankly, she didn't look to be in any sort of a mood to risk teasing at the moment, and he didn't relish getting his head bitten off this early in the morning. Instead, he said, "I'm surprised you aren't eating breakfast with His Majesty. Isn't it like a custom or something?"

KC frowned at the recollection that she was, in fact, avoiding Hotohori. "Don't wanna talk about it," she muttered, stabbing at her dumpling again.

"You know, you can't keep avoiding him forever," Tamahome pointed out wisely. "One of these days you'll have to give the guy an ans—"

_STAB_

"Let's discuss something _else_, shall we?"

"Er, right. Sooo … how're things with Nuriko progressing?"

STABSTABSTABSTABSTAB_SNAP_

Half a chopstick went careening across the room. KC blinked in surprise at the other half, still quivering in her hand.

Tamahome regarded the mutilated dumpling with a raised eyebrow and nervously cleared his throat. "That good, huh?"

"I swear if she wasn't my Seishi, I'd strangle her with her own hair!"

"Uh-huh. Except you'd never get past that whole inhuman strength thing she's got going for her," he deadpanned.

KC smirked. "If she wasn't my Seishi, she wouldn't _have_ inhuman strength." She chewed thoughtfully on a mouthful of rice. "Maybe I should ask Hotohori to toss her into the dungeon for awhile. That oughtta knock her off her high horse."

"His Majesty doesn't strike me as the type to go around randomly tossing people into his dungeon."

"I haven't told you how he and I met, have I?"

Tamahome raised the other eyebrow. "I sense an interesting story in those words."

KC smirked despite her sour mood. "Later," she promised. "Right now, I guess I'd better get my tail over to Nuriko's and see what she wants me to do today. Probably scrub down all the furniture or paint her toenails or something."

He shot her an odd look. "Did I … miss something? Since when are you her servant?"

She grimaced. "Since me and my fat mouth agreed to take over until she could find a replacement. She _wanted_ Mei Lin back, but I just couldn't throw the poor girl back into the lion's den."

"So you offered to take her place." Tamahome whistled. "You do know she's going to torture you, right?"

"Gee, hadn't thought of _that_, Captain Obvious. But how's that saying go? 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer'?"

"So she's your enemy now?"

"Only 'cause she _wants_ to be. If I can't convince her to be my friend, at least I can keep an eye on her to make sure she isn't plotting to kill me in my sleep or anything," KC sniffed.

"I'm sure she'd never stoop to something _that_ dishonorable. She's a Suzaku warrior destined to help you save our country, after all. Even if she doesn't want to admit it."

"You think?"

He smirked. "Of course. At the very least, she'll wait until you're awake before trying to off you, so you'd at least have a sporting chance to run away."

KC found herself grinning as she flicked a clump of rice at him. "Very funny. I'm not going to give up, though. I'll keep pushing the matter until she agrees, even if it's only to shut me up. Wanna help me? Come on, it'll be fun," she wheedled. "With my brains and your … whatever, we could give her hell! Waddaya say?"

Tamahome nearly choked on his tea. "No way!" he wheezed. "This is between you and her! I'm _not_ getting involved."

She pouted. "Chicken."

"I prefer to think of it as possessing a healthy dose of self-preservation."

"Some mighty protector _you__'__re_ turning out to be."

"My wages do not include involving myself in womanly spats," he replied haughtily. "Getting attacked by bandits or assassins, that I'll handle. Sticking my nose into the middle of a cat-fight is beyond my sense of reason. No thanks."

KC sighed and pouted. "Well, who needs you, anyway? I'm sure I can come up with something diabolical all by myself."

"I wonder if it's worth the trouble to put the guards on alert for potential disaster," Tamahome muttered, rolling his eyes.

KC smirked at him and raised her chopsticks in a toast. "Oh, ye of little faith."

* * *

"You're late," Nuriko sniffed when she opened her door, already decked out in a completely different outfit than the one she'd finally settled on the night before. Over the Seishi's shoulder, KC caught a glimpse of utter carnage in the room beyond and ground her teeth.

"Technically, as we never settled on an actual _time_ for me to show up, I'm _not_ late," she pointed out with saccharine sweetness.

Nuriko blinked at her, opened her mouth to argue, found none, and shut it again with a sniff. "Well, clean up that room, and then you need to scrub down this walkway. It's utterly filthy," she commanded.

KC's eyes widened as she took in the long expanse of wooden floor stretching from one end of the building to the other. "The whole thing?" she nearly whimpered. There was at least seventy-five feet of it. It would take her hours to complete.

"Of course the whole thing. What sort of good servant does only half a job?" Nuriko snorted. "Well, if you'll excuse me, Tamahome is going into town again and I'm going to accompany him. Be finished by the time I get back! Ta!" And off she went.

KC glanced despairingly at the room, then sighed heavily. "I brought it onto myself," she muttered. "Me and my brilliant ideas."

* * *

She finished Nuriko's room in half an hour, casually tossing half-folded robes into random trunks without regard as to what went where, and piling the scattered jewelery and hair ornaments into a big lump of tangled chains and pins and combs in the first jewelry chest she saw (there were at least four of them). Nuriko would probably hit the roof the next time she went for a pair of earrings or something, but KC didn't particularly care at the moment. Tamahome was going into town _again_ and didn't invite her! But he'd let that harpy go with him, of course. She muttered under her breath, trying to stifle her resentment. That traitor, buddying up to that woman instead of sticking with his Priestess like he was _supposed_ to do. It rankled badly, knowing the two of them were out there having fun while she was stuck doing menial labor. She hadn't set foot outside the palace walls since the day she'd been dragged into it!

She contemplated for a moment seeking out Hotohori to keep him company, but decided against it. She wasn't quite ready to face him yet. He'd probably start trying to woo her again and she still hadn't fully recovered from the last attempt. Honestly, she had no idea how she'd ever be able to look at him again without _remembering_. Even now, she could feel the flush heating her body at just the thought of his embrace and his deep kisses. At this rate, she'd be a walking tomato for the rest of her life.

Trying to distract herself from her thoughts, she grabbed the cleaning equipment she needed from a nearby supply room and began vigorously sweeping the outer walkway. She did her best to ignore the stares and hushed mutterings of passing courtiers and servants, realizing it probably looked a little odd for the Priestess of Suzaku to be down on her hands and knees doing the job of a common scullery maid. She cringed at the thought of the emperor getting wind of it, realizing the situation might embarrass him, as well. Still, she flatly refused any help offered, sending each servant off with a polite but firm "No, thank you" and a meaningful stare.

Mei Lin, when she stumbled upon KC in the midst of scrubbing a particularly difficult stain out of the floor, was a bit harder to deter. She insisted on finishing the job herself, that it wasn't fit for the Priestess to humble herself in such a way. KC finally managed to run her off by threatening to give her back to Nuriko for good, if she was so keen on taking over her old duties. Mei Lin had blanched slightly, then bowed and offered her deepest thanks and the encouragement to do a good job before scurrying away.

It took three hours to get the floor swept and mopped up to KC's satisfaction, but in the end she had to admit it was a job well done. Even if her back was burning and her knees had gone numb from kneeling on them for so long, the floor was spotless, gleaming so brightly she could practically see her reflection in its polished, wooden surface. "Damn, I'm good," she announced, sitting up to survey her handiwork proudly.

"Ohhh, what's this? Finished already?"

She scowled at the sound of Nuriko's voice, approaching from behind. "Yeah, and about time, too. Well? Is it clean enough for you?" she asked smugly, tossing her scrub brush back into the bucket of dirty water with a plop.

"Tsk." Nuriko sounded anything but impressed. "Such a sloppy job," she scolded. "Were you even paying attention to your work?"

Furious, KC whirled to give her a piece of her mind … and was left staring, slack-jawed, at the dirt and leaves strewn all over her freshly-scrubbed floor. Nuriko towered over her, a disapproving frown on her pretty face as she clutched an empty bowl to her chest, a strand of dead ivy dangling over its rim.

KC's eyes narrowed as she connected the dots. Nuriko's eyes held an obvious challenge, and KC clenched her fists so hard that her nails bit into her skin. The woman was obviously gearing for a fight. Slowly, ever-so-carefully, she rose to her feet, her face carefully blank. The Seishi tensed, expecting an explosion. What she got instead was a sudden, brilliant smile, as KC cheerfully said, "You know, you're right. Looks like my mind was wandering. I was thinking about Hotohori and what happened the other night, you see, and … mmm…" She giggled, pressing a hand to her cheek. "Got a bit distracted, I guess. I gotta say, that man sure knows how to _kiss._ Don't worry, though, I'll redo it all."

Nuriko stood frozen for a moment or two, her mouth opening and closing like a gasping fish, before she abruptly whirled away with an indignant harrumph and a toss of her braid, dropping the bowl on the floor as she stomped to her room.

KC's smile disappeared and she muttered angrily as she hastily swept and washed the floor for the second time, wishing heartily for the Swiffer Wet-Jet stored in her kitchen pantry. After this, she'd never complain about mopping the floors in her own house, again! She lifted the heavy bucket, grunting under its weight and trying not to spill any water as she hobbled toward the gardens, where she could safely dump it into the bushes.

As she approached Nuriko's door, however, her steps slowed, and she chewed on her lower lip as she considered. No matter how mad she was, she should be the better person and try again to make peace. Maybe if she apologized for rubbing Nuriko's face in the fact that she'd made out with Hotohori…

Then again, why should _she_ have to apologize? It wasn't _her_ idea for the emperor to fall in love with her! Sure, she really needed Nuriko's cooperation if she was ever going to get home again, but she had her pride, too, and the Seishi's bullheadedness was really beginning to wear on her nerves.

KC started past the door again, and again hesitated. Her shoulders slumped, and she heaved a resigned sigh.

"Aw, screw it."

* * *

Nuriko stared at the gigantic mess of tangled jewelry and clothes in what had once been neatly-organized chests, hands clenching the back of her chair so hard that the wood began to splinter under her fingers. "That little—" she growled, before she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Nuriko?" came the innocent inquiry from the other side. "You in there?"

Nuriko flung herself at the door, pulling it open so hard that she nearly ripped it from its hinges. "_You!_" she growled, pointing a finger in KC's face. "_What__have__you__done__to__my__things?_"

KC blinked at the finger. "Put 'em away, like you said. You never told me to be neat about it."

Nuriko gaped at her.

"Anyhow," she continued, "I finished the floor. Can I go now? I'm kinda tired."

"You can go after you put this room in its proper order!" Nuriko snapped. "Do you have _any_ idea how delicate and expensive these jewels and clothing _are_?"

"Actually, no, I don't. You should keep delicate and expensive things put away in more secure places, shouldn't you?"

"You—!"

"You look really warm," KC cut in, her voice and expression concerned. "You're not getting heat exhaustion, are you? Don't get so angry; it's not good for your blood pressure to get so high."

"My blood pressure is perfectly fine," Nuriko snapped. "How dare you be so obstinate to me!"

"How dare _I_?" KC raised an eyebrow and looked her up and down, her strange blue eyes icy with contempt; the very picture of a haughty princess. Nuriko was momentarily impressed.

"You know," the Priestess continued stonily, "I offered to be your servant in an attempt to be nice. I really don't want to fight with you, and would much rather be your friend. But, that doesn't mean I'm gonna roll over and let you kick me when I'm down. I'm _still_ the Priestess of Suzaku, whom even the emperor bows to. And, like it or not, you are still my Seishi, chosen by Suzaku himself to serve _me_. So, who is being obstinate to whom here?"

Nuriko could only sputter, her face turning an alarming shade of red.

KC tilted her head. "You really do look a bit unwell. It's a hot day, isn't it? I'm not even dressed that heavily, and I'm sweating like a pig. You must be _roasting_ in all those long, heavy robes." She lifted the bucket of water she still held in her hands. "Here," she continued sweetly. "Have a cool-down." And she unceremoniously dumped it right over Nuriko's head.

The Seishi shrieked with horror, spluttering and spitting out brackish water, mopping it from her eyes with her dripping sleeves. "Y-you … you…" she sputtered, more than a little flabbergasted at being so suddenly attacked. "Y-you—What do you think you're _doing_?" she screeched, finally regaining her voice.

"Payback's a bitch, ain't it?" KC turned and skipped gaily away as the furious Seishi yelled obscenities after her.

* * *

When she returned to her room, she found Mei Lin hovering outside the door like a nervous mouse, her arms filled with folded sheets.

"What's wrong?" KC asked the fidgeting maid. "You get locked out or something?"

"His Majesty is inside," Mei Lin whispered, eyes wide. "I … I did not think I should interrupt."

KC's eyebrows rose to her hairline. Hotohori was there? "What's he planning to do, ambush me?" she muttered. She stepped toward the door, then reached out to snag Mei Lin by the sleeve when the girl tried to unobtrusively sneak away. She wasn't about to confront the emperor without a chaperone. Besides that, she looked a mess after spending all that time cleaning. "Think you could maybe lay out some clean clothes for me? Pants and another tunic, if you please. Oh, but I'd like a bath before that. I feel like death warmed over."

"Y-Yes, Your Eminence," Mei Lin squeaked as she found herself being unwillingly dragged into the room after the Priestess.

Hotohori was sitting at the table, sipping a cup of tea and idly flipping through KC's history textbook. She doubted he was able to read the words, but the pictures of historical people and places seemed to fascinate him. He glanced up and met her eyes when she came into view, the little serving girl he'd given her in tow, clutching her sheets to her like a shield.

KC's heart was pounding and she was sure she was blushing, but she definitely felt braver with the presence of a third person. She doubted he'd try to bring up _that_ particular subject in the presence of a servant. She just wished she looked a little less like a hobo in his magnificent presence. "It's rare to see you in the middle of the day," she began amiably, flashing him a small smile. She realized she'd missed him. Just a little.

"I had some free time, and thought I'd visit and see how you were faring," he replied, his deep voice caressing her senses. He paused, taking in her appearance. "I see the rumors are not entirely unfounded."

She winced. "Heard about that, huh?"

His smile was faint, and not entirely pleased. "I admit I was a bit … surprised to hear that our Priestess has taken the position of a common servant under her own Seishi. The courtiers are most astonished. If she has bullied you into—"

"It isn't that! I offered," KC hastily protested. "She's a bit unhappy with me showing up out of the blue and basically up-heaving her entire life. I guess I can't blame her for that _too_ much. I sort of completely _understand_, actually." She shot him a significant look, to which he looked vaguely uncomfortable. "Anyhow, I thought maybe if I helped her out, tried to make friends, she might be a little less … ticked off about the way things have been going and be more willing to help me out with the summoning."

He frowned. "She is your Seishi. Personal reasons aside, it is her duty to—"

"I know, I know. But, I'd rather she do it willingly than be forced into it. This is going to be difficult enough. I'd like to know she's got my back and I can actually count on her to defend it if something happens. It's going to get worse, right? You said yourself people will come after me once I get out there and start looking. I need to know she's not going to 'accidentally' let a stray arrow or something slip past. I need to be able to trust _her_, and I need her to trust _me_, or this whole summoning business is never going to work, and then we'll _all_ be screwed."

He considered for a moment, hands folded before his mouth. "A valid point," he conceded. He sighed. "Are you certain you do not wish for me to simply _order_ her to get along with you?"

KC hesitated. "You _could_. But it probably wouldn't make a difference anyway. She'd still hate me, she'd just hide it better." She smiled wryly. "I know you're the emperor and all, but even you can't force somebody to change their feelings if they're determined not to. The human heart doesn't work like that."

Hotohori leveled her a searching gaze. "Yes," he agreed quietly, nodding his head. "I am coming to realize, lately, that wishes and commands will not make a person feel a certain way. Even I do not hold that much power. All I can do is extend my hand, and pray it is accepted."

KC had the distinct impression that he was no longer talking about Nuriko. She glanced down and fidgeted, wondering how she could distract him from the uncomfortable turn the conversation had taken, which even Mei Lin's presence seemed not to deter. She didn't like that she was causing him pain, but simply accepting his proposal and everything that went with it was out of the question.

Luckily, her much needed distraction chose that moment to barge unceremoniously through the door, breathing hard and talking fast.

"Is it true?" Tamahome gasped, doubling over as he caught his breath. He sounded like he was trying hard not to laugh. "Did you really dump a pail of water over Nuriko's head?"

KC squeaked when two pairs of astonished eyes fixed on her. "Ahhhh, yeah," she sheepishly admitted. "I was kinda getting around to mentioning that…"

"What happened?" Hotohori looked more concerned than amused.

"Well… " She scratched her head. "Let's just say we had a difference of opinion over how clean the floor was."

"You'd better hide out for awhile," Tamahome chuckled. "She's _livid_. Everyone in the palace is talking about it."

KC grimaced. "So much for making friends," she sighed. "Guess I made a mess of things now. But just 'cause I want to make peace doesn't mean I'm gonna go around letting her treat me like some pushover. She had it coming to her!"

"Well, maybe if you actually swallowed your pride and _apologized__…_" Tamahome suggested. Then, as an afterthought, "From a safe distance, of course."

She wrinkled her nose. "Awww, Daaad! Do I _have_ to?" She stamped her foot playfully.

Tama pulled a face at her. "Only if you want to keep from having your lungs ripped out through your nose."

"Gee. That sounds … pleasant."

"Just one of the _many_ creative and grotesque ways in which she's considering murdering you," he replied cheerfully.

KC laughed, but sobered when she noticed Hotohori's expression. He didn't seem at all amused. She flashed him a smile. "Don't worry. I doubt it's that serious. We've been at each others' throats since the get-go and she hasn't killed me yet." She unthinkingly reached out to give his hand a reassuring squeeze; he immediately turned it to clasp hers, lacing their fingers together.

KC bit her lip and tried to will herself not to blush as Tamahome choked on a laugh and Mei Lin very quickly resumed changing the bedsheets.

"Uh, anyway, I'll think about all that later," she continued. "Right now, I'd really like to take a bath and change. I'm wiped."

"Are you unwell?" Hotohori's big hand pressed gently to her forehead. He was frowning slightly. "You feel a bit feverish."

"No, no. I'm fine. I've been outside cleaning all morning so I'm just a bit overheated. Guess my body's still running on sub-zero-winter time. It hasn't adjusted to Konan's summer weather yet, that's all."

"Then we shall leave you." Hotohori still looked uncertain as he rose to his feet. "I suppose I had better go back to my office, anyway, before my advisers come looking for me."

"'Had some free time', huh?" KC leveled him a sly glance. "You snuck out just so you could check on me, didn't you?"

He blushed faintly. "As emperor, and your Seishi, it is my duty to see that you fare well," he replied, looking a bit sheepish. "That is all."

"Thank you. I appreciate the concern. You can go back to work now, though. Just don't let them scold you too much. And make sure you make time to eat properly, okay?"

"I give my word." He returned her smile before turning to glide out of the room, robes and hair trailing behind him.

Tamahome followed him out, tossing a knowing smirk in KC's direction as he closed the door.


	14. Dude Looks Like a Lady!

**Fourteen  
Dude ****Looks ****Like ****a ****Lady!**

"Lady KC?" Mei Lin approached her Priestess, looking fidgety and nervous. "Um … L-Lady, if you wish for a bath, there is a pretty little natural pool located just outside the Seraglio. It is generally unused, as there is a much nicer bath built within the Seraglio's walls, but the water is clean and warm. Perhaps you would care to bathe there?"

KC looked at her in surprise. "What's wrong with the one I used last time?"

"Oh, n-nothing. I thought of it, because Lady Kou-Nuriko often used it, and preferred it over the inside bath. It is very private, you see. She very much likes her privacy." Mei Lin fidgeted again, not meeting KC's gaze. KC could have sworn she looked nervous. Almost … guilty. It piqued her curiosity.

"Well, one place is as good as another, I guess. Since you recommend it, I'll try it out. Can you show me where it is?"

"Yes, I'll take you there. It is a bit difficult to find if one doesn't know where to look, thus the reason why Lady Nuriko preferred it. Also, there is not much room for handmaidens, so I shall not have any attend you."

"That's fine with me!" KC hadn't forgotten the very forceful and thorough scrubbing she'd gotten during her last bath. She _really_ didn't look forward to a repeat of it. "Just be sure to tell me what lotions to use for my hair and what to use for my body so I don't come out with my hair smelling like foot cream and the rest of me smelling like shampoo or anything."

Mei Lin giggled, albeit a bit nervously, as she gathered the needed supplies into a basket along with a robe and led KC from the room and across the palace grounds toward a large, handsome building lit with late-afternoon sunlight. KC saw several exceedingly beautiful, well-dressed women lounging about the open windows and elaborate terraces, like so many spoiled cats. _Hotohori's __prospective __brides,_ she realized. They were gorgeous, but they all looked stuck-up to her. _He'd __never __be __happy __with __them,_ she thought decidedly. They were too in love with his money and his power. They'd never see him for _himself_, just like he'd told her.

_Poor __Hotohori. __He __must __really __be __desperate, __if __he's __willing __to __settle __for _me_,_ _just __to __make __sure __he __doesn't __end __up __with __any __of _them.

There was a flash of movement in the upper window. KC glanced up and nearly had a heart attack when a shock of bright purple hair in a lovely profile caught her attention. What was Nuriko doing there? Hadn't she been dismissed?

But when the woman turned and caught her eye, she realized with surprise that it wasn't Nuriko, after all. The similarities were astonishing, but the woman's eyes were the wrong color, and she looked far sweeter and more serene as she nodded politely to KC than Nuriko had ever looked. KC nodded back, blushing faintly at having been caught gawping so openly, and hurried after Mei Lin.

"Who was that?" she breathlessly asked the little maid.

"That was Lady Houki. She is another consort. Lady Kour-Nuriko's good friend." Mei Lin smiled. "I like her. She is very kind. I think she must be lonely without Lady Nuriko to keep her company."

"They aren't related, are they?"

"I do not believe so."

"They could be sisters! _One_ woman with that hair is amazing enough, but _two_?"

"Lady Houki has not been in the Seraglio for very long, only a few months or so. Lady Nuriko took her under her wing immediately. She protects her from the viciousness of the other consorts, as well. Lady Houki is a bit timid, you see. She would not have lasted long in that place without her."

"Nuriko? Being protective?" KC found that very hard to imagine.

"I believe … Lady Houki reminds her of someone she loved very much in the past. She mentioned it one time, but did not specify."

"You didn't ask who?"

"Oh, no! That would have been most impertinent!" Mei Lin looked horrified at the idea.

"Hmmm." KC looked over her shoulder at the window. The woman had disappeared. "She won't be bullied now, will she? Without Nuriko being there?"

"I do not believe so. I heard Lady Nuriko made it _very_ clear that there would be dire consequences inflicted upon anyone who dared harm Lady Houki in her absence. The others fear Lady Nuriko too greatly to _ever_ dare tempt her wrath."

KC laughed. "Can't say I blame them. That woman's a terror!"

"But _you_ do not fear her, even when she is so vexed with you." Mei Lin sounded a bit awed as she spoke.

"Well…" KC scratched her head. "Nuriko may be a haughty, stuck-up brat, but I don't think she's a bad person. I mean, don't get me wrong, she's _really_ getting on my nerves and I'd like nothing more than to give her a good punch in her pretty little nose, but at the same time I can't help feeling sorry for her. She really loves the emperor, and he won't give her the time of day. And now, because I showed up, she lost her best chance to win him. I can understand her feelings. Her whole life has suddenly changed, and the only one she has to blame is me. She's been reduced from a court princess to what basically amounts as a servant. It probably seriously bruised her ego."

"Oh, the Seishi are not servants! They are honored warriors sent to protect Your Eminence from harm, so you might all save Konan. She should be proud to have been chosen for such an honor!" Mei Lin protested.

"Yeah, well, I get the feeling she doesn't quite see it that way."

Mei Lin abruptly slowed her pace, placing a cautious finger to her lips. They had arrived at the end of the building, where bushes grew thickly. She pointed to a little trail just barely visible through the shrubbery. "Follow this a little way, and it will take you to the bath. Be silent, though."

"How come?" KC whispered back, even as she wondered why she was whispering.

Mei Lin handed her the basket and robe. "You do not wish for … her to hear you coming," she said mysteriously, and without another word turned and scurried away.

"Ho-kaaay. _That_ was random." KC shook her head and turned to regard the trail warily. She was starting to have second thoughts. On the other hand, she'd already come all this way. It'd be sort of pointless to go back now without washing off. Huffing a sigh, she pushed her way into the bushes and headed toward the pool.

She could hear faint splashing as she got closer, like pouring water, and wondered if there was a waterfall. Mei Lin had said it was natural, right? But a waterfall meant there had to be a cliff somewhere, and as far as she could see, the only things around this part of the palace were the slightly-overgrown bushes and trees.

She found the pool quite abruptly. Or rather, she found the screened enclosure surrounding it, looking a bit out-of-repair with several holes in the woven bamboo strips and moss and wild ivy growing across the wooden frames. This bath was set up much like hers, with the screens and the openness of it, but the floor was natural bedrock and there was a strong scent of sulfer in the air that the flowers and incense had disguised in the other one.

KC was about to step around the screen when movement on the other side of it made her freeze. Through the loosely-woven bamboo, she could see a figure moving in the pool; the sound of splashing water came again as whoever it was dumped a bucket of water over her head.

She peeked through one of the holes in the screen, about to apologize for interrupting, when a shock of vivid purple made the words freeze on her tongue.

Nuriko was facing her, the water lapping about her waist, as she poured another bucket of water over her already-sopping head. Luckily, her eyes were closed to keep water out, so she didn't notice she was being spied on.

KC gaped, trying to come to terms with the utter wrongness of the picture. Something was off. Something was _definitely_ off. It took her several seconds to process what she _wasn't_ seeing, and then it hit her.

Nuriko had no breasts.

She blinked, gave her head a shake with her eyes squinched shut, and looked again.

Nope. Nothing. Even with strands of hair straggling over the Seishi's chest, it was very obvious there wasn't anything resembling female anatomy. Even _her_ boobs were bigger than that (she'd take the time to gloat over that later, though)!

Had there been an accident? Perhaps something horrible had occurred that had caused Nuriko permanent disfigurement. Like cancer, or something. But … there was no scarring, at all. And KC could see nipples. Just … nothing but flatness around them. It looked like a perfectly normal (if slightly pale and under-toned) chest. A … _man's_ chest.

"It _can't_ be," she whispered, before sharply clapping her hand over her mouth. She relaxed in another moment, though. By sheer, dumb luck, Nuriko had picked that moment to dunk under the water, so hadn't heard. "It can't be," she repeated. "There's no _way_—" She cut herself off as Nuriko suddenly emerged, wringing out her wealth of hair as she made her way to the edge of the pool. KC tensed to flee, assuming the Seishi had finished bathing and definitely _not_ wanting to get caught spying. But Nuriko merely hauled herself out of the pool to perch along its edge, allowing one leg to dangle into the water as she half-turned to reach for a small basket filled with jars of lotion not unlike KC's own.

And KC was forced to clap both hands over her mouth to hold in her squeal of shock as she found herself being unexpectedly presented with the full-frontal proof that her Seishi was _anything_ but the delicate court blossom she pretended to be.

* * *

"_Tamahomeeeee!_"

The door slammed open, causing Tamahome to yelp loudly and leap off his chair, sending it clattering across the floor while coins and dice flew off the table every-which-way. "Wh-wh-what is it?" he gasped, clutching at his pounding heart while three other men sitting at the table—all palace guards, judging by their uniforms—hastily rose from _their_ chairs to respectfully salute the priestess.

KC paused, eyeballing the mess on the table and floor, before a single eyebrow rose to her hairline. "You're _gambling?_" She tsked at him. "Really, Tama, can't you come up with a more orthodox way to lose money?"

"Shut up," he grumbled as he hastily scooped up his (considerably larger) pile of coins. "I'm _winning_, for your information. And why're you barging into my room wailing like that? Is Nuriko after you again?"

"_Oh!_" KC leaped forward and grabbed his hand. "You gotta come with me. _Now_. It's important!" she said urgently, tugging on his arm.

"Uh…" Tamahome looked at his companions, who were looking at each other in confusion.

"Never mind them," she insisted. "You fellas won't mind coming back later, right?"

"Oh … no."

"Not a problem."

"Not like I had any more money to lose, anyway…"

Mumbling among themselves, the three men hastily exited the room. Tamahome watched them go with a kicked-puppy expression. "But … but I was _winning__,_" he whimpered, dramatically extending his hand after them. KC could almost hear a forlorn wind blowing through the room.

"Oh, suck it up," she snorted. "You can cheat the pants off those guys some other time. This is _important_."

"I do _not_ cheat," he protested indignantly. "And what's more important than making money, anyway?"

"You're gonna find out!" She pulled him out of the room, running across the courtyard as he bellowed protests at her back. She reached a certain point and abruptly stopped. He was forced to side-step to avoid bowling her over.

"What the—!"

"Hsst!" He blinked at the hand that was suddenly over his mouth. "Be quick but don't make any noise."

"What're we doing?" he muttered around her hand.

"I need a second opinion to prove I'm not completely nuts." She graciously ignored his cynical snort as she led him through the bushes. "I hope she's still there. She seems like the type to take long baths, though," she muttered.

"_She?_" Tamahome repeated sharply. "She _who_?"

"… Nuriko…"

"Nur—_Are __you __out __of __your __ever-lovin' __mind?_" Tamahome roared, hastily backpedaling.

"_Shut __up_, and _no_, I'm _not_. Will you just come _on_?" KC snapped. "Trust me, won't you? You _want_ to see this!"

"Our esteemed Priestess is a raving lunatic. Konan is doomed," he muttered, but nevertheless trudged forward until they reached the bath screens.

Faint splashing told them that the bath was indeed still occupied. KC peeked through the screen, then dragged an unwilling Tamahome forward. "Look. _Please_ tell me I'm not seeing things," she hissed.

"Okay, fine. But if she catches me and murders me for this, my vengeful spirit will wreak hell and damnation on you for the rest of your _life_," he muttered, creeping forward to peek through the screen.

KC waited with bated breath, and didn't know whether to be gratified or freaked out when, after only a few seconds, Tamahome blanched pure white and stumbled back away from the screen, hand over mouth and eyes wild with shock. He landed on his rear and stared at the screen, paralyzed.

"You saw! You _saw_ it, right?" she whisper-shrieked.

"That—She has—There was—" he stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

"She's got one, right? And no boobs! I _wasn't_ seeing things!" KC shook him to snap him out of his trance. "Nuriko's really … _she's_ really a _he._"

"_Who's __out __there?_"

They both jumped in shock, glancing wildly at the screen hiding them. Nuriko was completely out of the pool, heading in their direction as he hastily covered himself with a robe.

"Um … um … _baaaahhhh_," KC moaned, trying her best to sound like a completely innocent lamb wandering by. She sounded more like one very sick goat.

Tamahome clapped his hand over his forehead. "Very convincing," he hissed. Without warning, he snatched her up, ignoring her pained grunt when his shoulder met her stomach, and used every ounce of his Seishi speed to hightail it out of the area, expecting to feel a boulder or something equally deadly smash against his head every step of the way.

They made it back to his room unscathed, as he unceremoniously tossed her off his shoulder and slammed the door behind them, breathing hard.

"D'ya think sh—he saw us?" KC stammered, pacing the floor and wringing her hands. "Man, oh man, oh _man_. No _wonder_ Mei Lin was so set on me going to that bath! What a shock! I never expected to get an eye-full like _that_!"

"I don't get it," Tamahome whimpered, sliding down the door and sitting with his hands fisted in his hair. "How could—Wouldn't someone _notice_? She—_He's_ lived in the Seraglio for a year! Didn't he have servants to attend him?"

"He had Mei Lin," KC replied softly, sitting down beside him. "She's the one who told me about that natural pool. She said Nuriko always used it, because she—_he_ valued his privacy."

"Do you think Mei Lin knows?"

"I'm not sure … She might suspect, at least." Realization dawned. "That could be the reason why Nuriko wants her back so badly. She _must_ know something, and Nuriko's scared she'll spill the beans on him."

Tamahome snorted. "A valid fear, given the circumstances."

"I don't think Mei Lin told me out of any personal revenge against Nuriko. She seems to respect him, even if he scares her. But she did look awfully guilty when she told me about the pool and insisted I take my bath there. She _must_ have known Nuriko would already be bathing there after I dumped that dirty water all over him."

"Perhaps she did it to help you," Tamahome suggested.

"How? By traumatizing me for _life_?"

"And I haven't yet thanked you for graciously sharing that particular trauma with me," he muttered, knocking her on the head.

She chuckled. "Well, I wanted to be sure, and I couldn't think of anyone else. Hotohori was definitely out of the question!"

"Heh. No kidding. Seriously, though. Mei Lin might have been trying to help you. She was there when you were complaining about Nuriko. A secret like this … it's a pretty good bet that if it got out, Nuriko would be in some seriously deep trouble."

KC's brow furrowed. "Just for pretending to be a woman?"

"No, not that. Cross-dressing isn't common, but it isn't unheard of. Some of the brothels in the city cater to … men with those particular appetites."

"I'm not even going to ask how you know that."

"And I'm going to pretend you didn't just _say_ that."

KC giggled. "Sorry, sorry. So if cross-dressing isn't the problem, then what is?"

"Think about it. He infiltrated the _emperor's_ harem, with the clear intention of becoming a candidate to be chosen as empress, or at least a secondary wife. Something like that could be considered treason. He could be put to death."

KC's jaw dropped. "But … why would he do something like that? How would he even get away with it?"

"Well, he's done a bang-up job of it so far," Tamahome deadpanned.

"You dummy. I mean, sure, when he's wearing clothes and makeup, it's easy to mistake him for a woman. But supposing he was chosen? He'd have to … you know … do his duty by the emperor eventually, right? What was he planning to do, claim a headache every night to put it off?"

Tamahome's brow furrowed. "Put what off?"

"_It._" KC rolled her eyes. "_You_ know, the whole bearing-an-heir-for-the-emperor thing? How do you think they'd go about _making_ an heir, huh?"

Tamahome turned dark red. "K-KC!"

"Well, didn't he think this through at _all_? I mean, what was he planning to do when Hotohori finally sees him naked and figures out that he's got a _little_ more equipment between the legs than most women possess?"

Tamahome's head thumped against the door as he covered his eyes with his hand. "We are _not_ having this conversation," he groaned.

KC ignored him. "Small tits … Okay, fine, some women have less of 'em than others, although it'd really be pushing it in his case. But what was he planning on telling Hotohori about his—"

"Oh, _stop_. For the love of Suzaku, _please_ spare me any more garish images," Tamahome pleaded. "I do _not_ want to picture His Majesty and Nuriko _naked_! Especially _together_!"

"Actually …" KC tilted her head, humming to herself. "That _would_ be something nice to see."

"KC!" He shot her an outraged glare. "You are a pervert. Aren't you supposed to be a Priestess?"

She laughed. "Okay, okay. I'm just kidding! Don't get your jockeys in a twist. Geez, I had no idea you were such a prude!"

He pouted at her. "I'm _not_ a prude."

"Whatever. Anyway, it occurs to me that if this secret is so dangerous for Nuriko, it'd make sense he'd be willing to do _anything_ to make sure it stays a secret. Mei Lin _definitely_ deserves a raise. She just handed me some excellent blackmail material."

"Hmmm … So what happened to 'You can't force a person to change their emotions if they don't want to'? Isn't that what you told His Majesty?"

"That's different." KC pouted. "I wouldn't be trying to force him to like me. I'd just be making sure I got through this little adventure relatively unscathed. I'm sure he'd be willing to help me if he knew I could let it slip anytime I liked that he's a fake."

"Or, knowing Nuriko's personality, if he didn't have a good reason to murder you _before_, he certainly does now."

KC blanched. "Oh, yeah. Hadn't thought of that." She sighed and bumped the back of her head on the wall. "What do I do now? Do I confront Nuriko or just keep it to myself? My methods don't seem to be working, so maybe forcing her—him really is the only way to go? I have to start looking for the other Seishi _sometime_, and I need all the help I can get."

"Well, I think it's something you'll have to decide."

"You know, too. Won't you say anything?"

Tamahome hesitated. "I'll keep quiet for now. If you decide to confront Nuriko, I'll back you up on it. But otherwise, I don't think it's something anyone else needs to know. I mean, Nuriko is dismissed from the Seraglio anyway, so it hardly matters anymore."

"Yeah…" KC pursed her lips. "I'm _dying_ to know what was going through his head, though, that he thought he'd actually be able to get away with something like that." She sighed and shook her head. "I guess love makes you do crazy things."

"Heh heh. Which is why I avoid girls like the plague. Relationships are way too complicated."

"Uh-huh." She patted his knee condescendingly. "And because you're a prude."

"I am _not_!"

"Are too."

"Not!"

"Too."

"Okay, that's it!" Without warning, Tamahome suddenly grabbed her by the lapels and hauled her across his lap. Her startled yelp was abruptly cut off as his mouth closed over hers, kissing deeply.

After several moments, he pulled back and released her, and KC slowly sank back against the wall, stunned, her lips tingling. A long, awkward pause followed, broken only by their harsh breathing.

"Um … wow."

"… Yeah."

"That was—"

"Uh-huh."

Who knew a floor could be so fascinating?

KC eventually cleared her throat. "So. I promise to never, ever call you a prude again, if _you_ promise to forget the last thirty seconds _ever __happened_."

"Deal." Another pause. "But I'm _not _a prude."


	15. Secrets & Blackmail the Priestess Way

_Happy New Year! To start it off, a new chapter of Legend. Also went back through and reuploaded the first fourteen chapters with some fresh editing. Not much changed there, though, so no need to re-read to catch up. I mostly needed to catch up so I could remember where I left off. Anyhoo! On with the show._

_Disclaimers: I didn't own Fushigi Yuugi when I first started this story, and I still don't own it now. KC and all characters NOT in the series belong to me. So does this story. No stealing! I frown upon that greatly._

* * *

**Fifteen  
****Secrets & Blackmail (the Priestess Way)**

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

KC glanced at Tamahome, standing beside her outside Nuriko's door. She took a deep breath, released it again and smiled wryly. "Not really," she admitted. "But it's been three days now and Nuriko won't even look at me without glaring holes into my skull. How long have I been here, and what have I done in all this time?"

"Well…"

"Exactly." She nodded firmly. "You think I don't hear what people are saying? I'm the Priestess of Suzaku and so far I haven't done anything even remotely … priestessy. I haven't even left the palace yet. Everyone's starting to doubt whether I'm the real deal or not, which is probably reflecting pretty badly on Hotohori, since he picked me and all."

"Uh, Suzaku picked you. His Majesty just found you."

"Technically, I found him first."

"Right." A pause. "So, why am I here again?"

She elbowed him. "Because you promised to back me up if I decided to confront His Royal Pissiness, remember?"

"Yeah … Clearly I was suffering from mental trauma when I said that. Although I sounded cool at the time, didn't I?"

KC snorted. "Don't worry. You can always run away screaming like a little girl if he decides to go all Michael Myers on us."

"Who? And I do not scream like a little girl!"

"Says you," she teased, rapping on the door.

"You know, I changed my mind. I'll be cheering you on from over—"

"Get back here!" She snagged him by the back of the shirt before he could make his getaway, just as the door swung open. Nuriko scowled at her. "What do _you_ want?" he asked grouchily. "I'm busy."

"Gotta talk," KC replied as she bodily shoved her way past him, dragging Tamahome behind her.

Nuriko blinked at the spot where she had just been standing. "Why, won't you come in?" he deadpanned. "Make yourselves at home, really!"

"Thanks!" KC chirped, dropping onto a padded bench just inside the door.

Tamahome gingerly slid beside her. "I just want to say," he began, holding up his hands in a "don't shoot!" gesture, "that this is all her idea. So if you're going to go all … 'Michael Myers' on anyone, go at her, first."

KC pulled a face at him. "My hero," she snorted.

"Hey, I've got a family to think of!"

"Hey! So do I!" She leveled a glare at Nuriko. "Which is exactly why this bullshit is gonna end. _Today_. I'm not leaving this room until you agree to come with us to help me look for the rest of the Seishi. The entire country is counting on us! _Hotohori_ is depending on us! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Nuriko's lips thinned, his glare deepening.

"Look, I'm not asking us to be bestest friends forever or anything cheesy like that, but can't we at least put aside our differences long enough to get this thing over with? I said it before, didn't I? The sooner Suzaku is summoned, the sooner I can save the country and go home, and the sooner I'll be out of your hair. We'll never have to see each other again!"

"A tempting prospect," he snorted.

"Right? So what's the problem?"

"I. Don't. Like. You."

KC sighed and glanced helplessly at Tamahome. "Can't _you_ talk any sense into him?" she asked. "He seems to like _you_."

"Er—"

"_What did you just say?_"

KC looked back at Nuriko, who was staring at her with a face suddenly drained of all color. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees with her hands clasped under her chin. "I said, 'Can't you talk any sense into _him_? _He_ seems to like you'," she repeated slowly, raising an eyebrow in silent challenge.

Nuriko looked like a statue, unmoving but for the slight quivering of his nostrils. Two slashes of color stood in vivid contrast against his white cheeks. He seemed like he might pass out.

"Glad to see you get my meaning." KC sat back again, folding her arms and crossing her legs. "So, since you insist on doing things the hard way—"

"You'll never prove it!" Nuriko snapped, hands clenching at his side.

KC shook her head. "I don't have to prove anything. Tamahome knows, too. That's … three people who know the truth now?"

"Mei Lin," Nuriko hissed, eyes narrowing.

"She didn't tell me a thing! I just happened to be exploring the grounds and stumbled across that little bath when you were in it. Boy, did _I_ get an eyeful! I dragged Tamahome over for a second opinion, just to make sure I wasn't completely nuts," KC lied smoothly.

"Which is still open to debate," Tamahome muttered under his breath, and winced when her heel connected sharply with his foot.

"Anyway, I just figured since Mei Lin was your personal maid, and you were so desperate to get her back, she must know _something_ about your little secret. Common sense and all that."

Nuriko slowly sank onto a stool, his face expressionless. "What is it that you want?" he asked, his voice hoarse and sounding on the verge of tears. "Money? Jewels?"

"Don't need 'em," KC replied with a shrug.

"Uhhh…" Tamahome piped up, but was silenced with an elbow in the gut. "…I don't need 'em either," he croaked, wincing as though chewing on something sour.

"I suppose you'll be going straight to His Majesty with this information," Nuriko muttered bitterly, his hands twisting the fine silk of his robes into a wrinkled mess. "You must be feeling rather proud at having finally gotten one over on me. I imagine seeing me rotting in the dungeon for my betrayal will be a balm to your pride."

"Don't compare my actions with what _you'd_ do," KC snapped, causing Nuriko to look up in surprise. "I'm not nearly as mean as you are, and I wasn't actually planning on telling anyone."

Nuriko scowled. "Then why are you _here_?" he snapped.

"Because you forced my hand," she snapped back, "and I'm not above a little blackmail. First of all, stop acting like such a royal bitch just 'cause Hotohori doesn't love you. That isn't my fault, so stop treating me like something you found stuck to the bottom of your shoe. He didn't love you way before I ever showed up!"

Nuriko flinched, but held his tongue.

"Secondly, you _are_ going to come with us when we leave to find the other Seishi. Which I imagine will be any day now. I want to go _home_, but as long as I'm stuck in this palace waiting around for you to come to your senses, that's never gonna happen. So you're coming, even if I have to tie you to a damned pole and drag you!"

Tamahome snorted into his hand, clearly attempting to stifle a laugh. Even Nuriko's lips twitched a little, although a frown quickly replaced the tell-tale smile.

"Now." KC smoothed back her hair, taking a calming breath. "As long as you can act like a civilized human being, I don't see why we can't get along. It would be very nice to know that I can go out there risking life and limb without having to worry about being stabbed in the back by my own Seishi."

Nuriko stared at her, as though trying to puzzle her out. "I don't get you," he murmured. "You have the perfect way to take revenge on how I've treated you, and you don't plan to exploit it?"

"Um … I thought I _was_ exploiting it." KC glanced at Tamahome in confusion.

"I think he means you don't plan on making him suffer all sorts of horrible humilations. You know, like he made you do."

"Oh. Well, that's a tempting idea, but it'd only delay us more." KC shrugged. "I'm not out to make enemies. I just want to get this thing over with so I can go home. 'Sides, I wouldn't be any better than him if I stooped to that level."

"Thanks ever so," Nuriko deadpanned.

"So I can count on you, right?" KC fixed him with a determined look.

He sniffed. "Seems like I don't have much choice in the matter."

"Great!" She gave a triumphant fist pump. "Well, now _that's_ sorted, so I guess there's nothing left to do but talk to Hotohori about travel arrangements!" She rose to leave, eager to finally be _doing_ something, and was abruptly forced back down when a sudden wave of vertigo threatened to buckle her knees out from under her. "Whoa! Head rush," she gasped.

"Are you okay?" The question came, amazingly enough, from Nuriko. Both Seishi were looking at her with concern.

She chuckled and waved it away. "No worries. I'm just a little tired, I guess. Haven't slept much lately."

Tamahome scowled at her. "You're going back to your room and taking a nap. That's an order."

"Wow. Tamahome, going all Papa Smurf on me all of a sudden? I'm touched," she laughed.

"I'm serious!" he snapped. "Take a nap! It won't do any good to have you collapsing in the middle of the journey. Besides, how do you think His Majesty will feel if you end up getting sick?"

KC squeaked in alarm. "Ix-nay on the Otohori-hay!" she hissed, glancing pointedly at Nuriko.

Tamahome blinked at her. "…Huh?"

"Never mind." She sighed. "Fine, fine, I'll go take a nap. What am I, six? You're so bossy!" She turned to stalk out of the room.

"KC."

Nuriko's voice stopped her in her tracks, turning to glance at him inquisitively. "You won't—" He swallowed, hard. "You won't…tell His Majesty about … this, will you?"

"I already said I wouldn't, didn't I? Geez! You're so mistrustful," she sniffed.

Nuriko turned his suspicious gaze on Tamahome, who held up his hands in defense. "Don't look at me," he laughed nervously. "It ain't none of my business."

"I am curious, though," KC added, cocking her head at Nuriko. "I mean, how did you intend to pull it off?"

He blinked at her. "Pull what off?"

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, work with me here. For argument's sake, say Hotohori decided to choose you for his empress."

"Uh-huh…"

"Well, how did you plan on explaining it?

He blinked again. "Explaining…?"

"Oh, for cryin' out loud, Nuriko!" KC huffed. "Hotohori isn't _blind_, you know. Did you think he wouldn't _notice_ that third appendage below your waist?"

"KC!" Tamahome yelped, slapping a hand over his flaming face.

Nuriko blinked, his cheeks taking on a rather pinkish hue as he stuck a hand behind his head, giving a sheepish little titter. "Eh heh heh. Ya know … I hadn't really thought much further than getting him to marry me," he confessed.

Now KC _did_ hit the floor, and Tamahome was right down there with her.


	16. Liar, Liar, Crown on Fire

_And a second new chapter! But only because the last one was so short. Don't expect me to make a habit of this or anything. :P_

* * *

**Sixteen  
****Liar, Liar (Crown on Fire)**

In the midst of reading a land treaty, Hotohori's concentration was broken by a polite tap on his study door. "Lord Tamahome wishes to speak with you," a manservant informed him, "in regards to Her Eminence."

Curious, and a bit concerned, Hotohori put down the scroll and nodded at the servant. "Show him in," he commanded. The servant bowed himself out. There were a few murmured words, and then Tamahome entered the chamber and bowed to the emperor, who nodded regally back. "Has something happened to KC?" he questioned, unable to keep the worry from his tone.

"Er…well, I wouldn't say _happened_ to her, exactly," Tamahome replied, scratching his head. "But I think she might be sick."

"Sick!" Hotohori looked alarmed. "How so?"

"She's been looking a bit pale and worn out; she almost fainted earlier," the other Seishi explained. "I managed to talk her into taking a nap, but … I thought maybe you could talk her into letting a healer look at her. She seems to listen to you more."

Hotohori frowned, steepling his fingers as his brow drew together thoughtfully. "How did she become ill?" he wondered. Was it the stress of becoming the priestess? Or perhaps his confession had compounded her worries until they became too much for her to handle. He knew very well that KC had been going out of her way to avoid him lately. As much as that fact saddened him, he didn't wish to force a confrontation, feeling it much better to wait until she was ready to face him on her own. But if her health was being affected by his selfish desires, he wondered if he should simply withdraw his proposal completely.

"Your Majesty, I think it's been building for a long time." Tamahome cut into the emperor's thoughts before the guilt could begin to overwhelm him. "I mean, this can't be easy on her, being snatched from her home and taken into an entirely different world, and then told to help save it before she can go back again. She must miss her family and friends, and she's got to be scared of what might happen. We've been doing everything we can to make her comfortable, and she's done a good job of acting like everything's okay, but she's just a young girl. This whole situation must be wearing her out. She told me herself she hasn't been sleeping well."

Hotohori sighed deeply and massaged the bridge of his nose. "Thank you for informing me, Tamahome," he said quietly. "I shall go see her now. Please, locate my personal physician and have him come to Her Eminence's quarters."

"Right away, Sire." Tamahome bowed again and left the room. Hotohori followed him out, striding briskly toward KC's chambers. Knowing her, despite whatever promise she'd made to Tamahome, she was probably doing the complete opposite, he thought with amusement. He knocked and opened the door to her chamber without waiting for an acknowledgment, fully expecting to see her up and about, or missing entirely. Therefore, he was greatly surprised to find her sprawled on her stomach across the bed, still fully clothed but for the boots she had kicked haphazardly to the floor.

"KC, are you well?" he questioned gently, closing the door and padding softly toward her bed. He seated himself beside her as she rolled onto her back, rested a hand against her forehead. He frowned when he felt the heat radiating from her brow. "A fever," he murmured, drawing her legs closer to the center of the bed, tugging the covers from beneath her body to pull them over her.

He softly stroked his fingers through her hair and caressed her flushed face, wondering what was keeping his physician. The man lived in the palace; it wasn't as though Tamahome had to run to the other side of the city to find him!

"KC, can you hear me?" he asked softly, giving her a gentle shake.

KC sighed and muttered, squirming beneath the weight of the covers. "Canfnd any food…" she mumbled irritably, swatting absently at Hotohori's hand. "Go 'way, Rex…"

Hotohori blinked and raised an eyebrow, torn between concern and amusement. "KC, you're dreaming," he replied. "Wake up. KC!"

KC mumbled again, flopping back onto her stomach. "Why're you talkin' t'me, Rex? Yer not s'pposed to talk…" she grumbled. But she appeared to be waking up, because a moment later, she raised her head and looked back over her shoulder, squinting at Hotohori's blurry profile. She frowned, confused, and turned over so she could sit up, sleepily scrubbing at her eyes with the heels of her palms. "Hotohori?" she questioned groggily. "What's th' matter?" Then, without waiting for his answer, she added, "I dreamt I got a new puppy. And I couldn't find any food for him, and then he started talking to me and he had your voice. You have a really pretty voice, you know? I love listening to you talk…"

Hotohori breathed a short chuckle, relieved now that she was awake and talking, although her eyes looked overly-bright and feverish to him and he was certain she wouldn't have admitted to loving his voice if she'd been in her right mind. Impulsively, he reached out to pull her against his chest. "You've fallen ill, KC," he informed her gently as he held her. "You have a fever. I fear it may be serious."

She frowned for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Oh, that's crazy. I haven't been … _really_ sick since I was … seven years old … and caught the chicken pox from … some kid at school," she mumbled around several yawns. "I'm really tired though," she added, her voice barely more than a murmur, "and my head feels all fuzzy…" As Hotohori's heat seeped into her, she felt herself drifting away again, allowing her head to rest against his shoulder as she leaned into him. "And … my body kind of aches a little," she finished, eyes slowly drooping again.

"Likely due to the fever," he replied, burying his fingers into her hair to massage the back of her neck. He sighed. "Sleep again, little one." She hummed in agreement, her voice vibrating against his chest. His breath caught with sudden longing, and he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her hair, cradling her gently.

This was the position in which the physician found them five minutes later, when he entered the chamber with barely a knock. Tamahome was right behind him and, surprisingly enough, Nuriko was behind them both. At the first sight of the emperor embracing the sleeping girl, gazing down at her like a man in the midst of a dream, the physician coughed sharply into his hand, Tamahome turned beet-red and quickly focused his gaze elsewhere, and Nuriko looked as though he couldn't decide whether to scream or throttle the person closest to him. He settled for gouging deep grooves into the door with his fingernails while Tamahome discreetly edged his way to a safer location.

"This is the patient, Sire?" the physician asked in a brusque, no-nonsense tone.

Rousing himself, Hotohori slowly raised his head to look at the visitors, as though he hadn't been aware of their presence until that moment. If he was embarrassed at being caught in such a vulnerable state, his calm expression gave nothing away. "Yes. This is she. Please see to her," he commanded quietly, lowering the girl back to the mattress and rising to his feet. "We shall wait outside until you've finished."

"As you command, Sire," the healer replied respectfully, turning to the girl and opening the satchel he carried at his side.

Hotohori stepped outside of the room, gesturing for the other two Seishi to follow. He closed the door, and the three of them waited in the hallway in awkward silence. Finally, Tamahome cleared his throat. "So … er … do you think it's serious?" he asked, just to break the silence. "What happens if she's really sick?"

"Ching Li is the finest physician in the country," Hotohori murmured. "If he cannot help her…" He allowed the words to trail off, not daring to give voice to his fears.

Nuriko didn't deign to say anything, but the troubled expression on his face made Tamahome think that the Seishi was more concerned about KC's health than he'd ever let on. Or maybe he was just concerned about the part _he_ might have played in its current state of decline. Somehow, Tamahome had an easier time believing the latter of the temperamental cross-dresser, since he knew very well that there was no love lost between the two. _I __ought __to __blurt __out__ his secret __in __front __of __His __Majesty, _he thought darkly. _That__'__d __teach __him __a __lesson__ or three__!_

But he'd promised KC he wouldn't say anything, and he was honor-bound to keep it. Besides, Hotohori looked like he had enough troubling him at the moment _without_ the knowledge that a man had infiltrated his harem and posed as a woman in the hopes of tricking the emperor into marrying him. And aside from all that, no matter how irritated he was with Nuriko at the moment, Tamahome really, really liked being alive, and if he blurted out what he knew then he probably _wouldn__'__t_ be anymore. So, he bit his tongue and settled for sneaking accusing glares at Nuriko, who was too caught up in his own musings to notice, anyway.

It felt like hours had passed before the door finally opened and the physician gestured for the three Seishi to step into the room. KC was still asleep, a cup containing the remaining dredges of medicinal tea on the table beside her. "It appears that Her Eminence is suffering from the beginning stages of a cold," Ching Li began gravely, "coupled with extreme exhaustion and mental fatigue. The illness and physical exhaustion should be easy enough to overcome with the medicine I gave her and enough bed rest, but with the amount of stress she has been under, there is no guarantee that they won't come back. Mental fatigue is not so easy to cure."

Hotohori sighed heavily; it was as he'd feared. The stress of becoming Priestess of Suzaku and being stolen away from everything and everyone she knew and loved was finally beginning to take its toll. "Is there anything that can be done?" he asked softly. "Anything at all to make things easier for her?"

Ching Li folded his hands in his sleeves. "Try to alleviate her concerns as much as possible. It is not an _illness_ that she suffers from the most, so herbs and tea will not cure it. Only she can decide how quickly she will recover, and for the sake of this country, I hope it will be soon." With those words, he bowed respectfully, gathered his supplies, and turned to leave.

"So that's it then," Tamahome muttered a moment later. "She's not strong enough to handle the job. If the healer's right, she'll never be able to keep up the strength to find the rest of the Seishi, never mind actually summoning Suzaku."

"But she is the chosen one," Hotohori replied sadly, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from KC's flushed cheek. "There is no other, and without her, Konan is doomed to fall to the hands of Kutou." KC shifted and mumbled beneath his touch before drifting into restless silence again. He sighed, frowning as he pondered the problem. Then, his brow cleared when an idea suddenly struck him. "There may be a way," he murmured. His voice grew more animated. "Yes … I'm sure of it. It may be a rather difficult journey but … if it will help KC, then it's worth the risk."

"What's that, Sire?" Tamahome asked, perking up.

Nuriko picked up a bowl of grapes and popped one into his mouth, listening with poorly-disguised interest.

"We will take her to Taiitsukun," Hotohori announced firmly. "The Emperor of the Heavens will surely know of a way to send her home again."

"_Home?_" Tamahome yelped, while Nuriko proceeded to choke on the grape. "B-but what about Konan? What about Suzaku? If we send her home, who's to say she'd ever be able to come back?"

"Who's to say she'll even _try_ to come back?" Nuriko added, once he'd cleared his throat. Upon hearing _that_, Hotohori fixed the Seishi with a withering stare, and Nuriko squeaked and hid behind Tamahome. "Eh … that is to say … not that she'd deliberately _abandon_ us or anything…"

"Nice going," Tamahome muttered, and promptly yelled when Nuriko gave him a hard kick in the shin.

"Shhhhh!" Nuriko hissed mockingly. "You'll wake Her Eminence!"

Tamahome glared and proceeded to rub his abused flesh, muttering uncomplimentary words under his breath.

"The most important thing _now_ is KC's health," Hotohori stated grimly, deciding to overlook his fellow Seishis' antics. "Overlooking the fact that she is the Priestess and that to be ill will hinder her required duties as such, she is also a young girl who has sacrificed a great deal to fight a threat that is not her own. One who is now in the need of help that we cannot provide her. If the only way to ease her mind is to return her to familiar surroundings until she can regain her strength, then I see no other choice but to let her go."

"She _won__'__t_ abandon us," Tamahome added, shooting a dark look at Nuriko. "She's got too much integrity for that. She made a commitment, and she'd never be able to live with herself if she doomed an entire country for her own selfish wants."

Nuriko sniffed. "How can you be so sure?" he asked stubbornly. "I mean, how much do we really _know_ about this girl? Who's to say that she won't turn tail and run the moment she realizes she's been set free? She only became the priestess because she thought it was the only way to get home again, right? So … how can anyone say that once she's actually home she won't put all of us out of her mind? We all have, as you claimed, nothing to do with her, after all."

Hotohori looked positively livid in the face of Nuriko's accusations. "I am willing to take this chance," he replied in a low, steady voice, "because I love her. Because I put my entire faith in her. Because if she is not worthy of becoming the Priestess of Suzaku, then she would never have been chosen in the first place. To doubt _her_ is to doubt Suzaku, himself, and if we begin to doubt Suzaku, then what chance does our country have to survive? If we cannot trust our one shining hope, then for what reason were we, her Seishi, even born?"

Nuriko, for once, had nothing to say.

* * *

KC discovered once again that it was really rather difficult to sleep properly when people insisted on yelling practically in your ear, as she was rudely jerked awake by Tamahome's pained bellow. She grumbled sleepily and turned over, dragging a pillow over her head to block out the noise. Her ears felt like they were stuffed with cotton, but she could make out three distinct voices coming from the vicinity of her feet. Peering out from beneath the pillow and rubbing her eyes to clear the sleep from them, she realized that all three of her Seishi were standing near the lower end of her bed, arguing amongst themselves. Her head felt too muzzy to figure out what they were saying, but it seemed as though Hotohori was chastising Nuriko for some reason or other. _I __hope __he __didn__'__t __figure __out __Nuriko__'__s __a __guy,_ she thought sleepily, _or __there __goes __my __blackmail __material._

Hotohori fell silent then, and Nuriko, looking properly cowed, did not deign to respond to whatever the emperor had been telling him. KC felt that now would be an excellent time to make her awareness known. She wanted to crack a joke or make some smart comment to try and break the tension she could feel radiating between her Seishi, but all she managed to get out was a rather pathetic-sounding, "Hi."

That was enough to do the trick, as all three of them immediately turned their attention to her. Tamahome, surprisingly, was the first one to her side, laying a hand against her forehead. "Hey, you should be sleeping," he scolded lightly as he checked her temperature. "You need the rest."

She made a face at him. "It's hard to sleep with you three chattering away over there like a bunch of pissed-off squirrels," she retorted.

Tamahome looked sheepish. "Eh, sorry to wake you up," he apologized. "How're you feeling?"

"Eh. I've felt better," she admitted dryly. "That tea seemed to help, though. What was in that stuff, anyway?"

"The tea?" Hotohori glanced down at the empty cup. "I believe it was a simple willow bark tea. It is a common medicine in this country."

She blinked at him. "Willow bark?" she repeated. "You mean like from a willow tree?" When he nodded, she wrinkled her nose. "You mean I just drank _tree__bark_?" she exclaimed, looking appalled.

Tamahome laughed at her. "It won't kill you!" He knocked her playfully on the head with his knuckles teasingly. "It's good for you."

"That quack physician isn't planning on feeding me anything _else_, is he?" she asked suspiciously. "No duck feathers or eye of toad or anything like that?"

"Well, he might slip you some bat dung every now and then." At her horrified expression, Tamahome cracked up even more. "I was _kidding_."

"I _hate_ bats!" KC protested. "Nasty, furry little rats with wings that dive-bomb your head when you least expect it and … and … _ugh._ And stop laughing at me! If a bat went and got all tangled up in _your_ hair I bet you wouldn't find it so funny," she grumbled. Tamahome continued to chuckle while she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "What's the diagnosis, anyway?" she asked. "Am I gonna live or what?"

"Well…" Hotohori looked uncertain. "The physician does not seem to believe that you will recover very easily," he began slowly. "You should be able to recover from the fever and exhaustion, but with the amount of pressure you've been under, there is no telling whether you'll succumb again or not."

"How come you didn't tell us you were so stressed out?" Tamahome put in accusingly. "We would have done more to help you feel better, you know. That's what we're here for."

KC made a face. "But I was okay," she protested. "I mean, I was handling it and all. It seemed stupid to worry about something I can't do anything about, anyway, so what's the use of complaining?"

"But you are worried, aren't you?" Hotohori asked softly, sitting beside her on the bed. "Much more than you're letting on. Is it fear of the future? Of our ultimate goal or what may happen in reaching it? Or is it that you're worried about your family and friends at home?"

She frowned, glancing at him from lowered eyelids. "Well, I guess I should be more worried about what's gonna happen here," she admitted, "but all I can think is that I just want to get it over with and go home as soon as possible. I'm more worried that everyone's all in a panic not knowing where I am. I want to tell them I'm okay and all but … there's no way to do that until I summon Suzaku."

The three Seishi glanced at each other before Hotohori turned his attention back to KC. "There might be a way," he told her quietly. At her surprised expression, he added, "We have decided that, in order to help your recovery, it would be best if we took you to see Taiitsukun."

She frowned, puzzled. "Who's that?"

"Taiitsukun is the Emperor of the Heavens," he explained, "the Creator of the world, of the four beast gods, themselves. If there is another way to send you home, Taiitsukun should be able to help us find it."

Her eyes widened. "You mean, even without summoning Suzaku, I can go home again?"

"Quite possibly, yes," he replied.

She was silent for a moment, and then she frowned, her brows drawing together. "And … did you always know about this?" she asked suspiciously. "That this Taiitsukun person could get me home? From the very beginning?"

"I…" Hotohori glanced helplessly at the other two Seishi, who merely shrugged, looking uneasy. "I suppose … I was aware, but it did not cross my mind at the time to—"

"So in other words," KC cut in, the chill in her voice sending an answering chill shivering up his spine, "when you told me that the _only_ way for me to _possibly_ get home again was to become this Priestess of Suzaku … that was a _lie_?"

Hotohori blanched, realizing, suddenly, how this all must look to the girl, that he'd deliberately misled her and tricked her into becoming the priestess. "KC … no … that wasn't—" he began, trying desperately to explain, but she didn't give him the chance to finish as she nearly threw herself back into the pillows and yanked the covers up to her chin.

"I'm tired. I want to sleep," she bit out, her voice quivering slightly, and he realized with horror that she was desperately trying not to cry. "Can you all please go away now?" She closed her eyes deliberately and said not another word, her jaw clenched tightly in her effort to hold back tears.

Stunned, Hotohori slowly rose to his feet, the image of the betrayal burning in her unique eyes already haunting his memory. "We'll leave you to rest," he murmured, exiting the room on leaden feet, with Tamahome and Nuriko trailing silently after him. As the door closed behind them, he was certain he heard a choked-off sob, and his heart clenched painfully in his chest as guilt began to gnaw at him. He'd certainly never meant to mislead KC in such a manner, but how could he possibly hope to make her see a mere oversight on his part as anything other than deliberate deception?

"That … could have gone better," Tamahome muttered awkwardly as he scratched his head. "She's just a little mad, huh?"

"It was my fault," Hotohori replied, his voice heavy with guilt. "If I had only _thought_—But finding her just—Everything else simply slipped through my mind, and she _is_ Suzaku's chosen one. She _is_ meant to be the Priestess. Of that I have no doubt."

"It doesn't change the fact that she thinks you deliberately lied to her," Nuriko murmured, earning a dark glare from Tamahome. "Do you still think it's a good idea to send her home? She's got even more of a reason to not come back again now. Do you still put all of your faith in her, Your Majesty?"

Hotohori sighed again, his shoulders slumping with the weight of his worry, and found he had no clear answer.


	17. Wherein Our Heroine Sulks&Gets Somewhere

_Yaay! More Hotohori fluff! Hopefully this is making up for those chapters that didn't have much of him in it. He'll be around more often now._  
_And dang, third chapter in a day. I'm spoiling you. Does help that most of these chapters are written. Just gotta REwrite them, which is what takes the most time._

_Disclaimers: I do not and never have owned the characters of Fushigi Yuugi. I do own this story, my own characters, and any changes I made to the original plot. No takees please._

* * *

**Seventeen  
****Wherein Our Heroine Sulks & Finally Gets Somewhere**

Three days later, Tamahome tapped on KC's door before opening it and cautiously poking his head through. "Are you awake?" he asked. Receiving an affirmative grunt, he stepped into the room, his arms laden with a tray of food.

"Are you taking over for my maid now?" KC asked grumpily from her huddled-up position on the bed.

"Are you still sulking?" he shot back.

"I'm a teenager. It's my prerogative."

He ignored her as he set the tray on the table. "Your fever's gone down, hasn't it? You should get out of that bed before you start growing things. Fresh air will do you good."

"Hmmph."

Tamahome sighed. "KC, I know you're upset with His Majesty right now, but for Suzaku's sake, _get over it_."

KC glared. "I _trusted_ him, Tamahome, and he turned around and stabbed me in the back. I thought he was trying to help me, but all he was doing was using me to get what _he_ wanted! Don't I have the right to be mad at him for it? And if he lied to me about that, what else has he lied to me about?"

Tamahome frowned at her, much in the way one frowns at a disobedient child. "Do you honestly believe Hotohori is the kind of person to do something like that?" he asked sternly. "Do you think he's that dishonest?"

KC pouted and didn't look at him, and he sighed. "Do you realize how much he's hurting right now, thinking you hate him?" he continued gently. "The entire palace is in an uproar. He's barely eaten for days, he's been absentminded and unable to focus on his duties. There's speculation that he's dying of some illness. If you'd just talk to him and let him know that you don't hate him, I'm sure he'd be back to normal in no time."

KC looked at him through narrowed eyes. "You know what would make _me_ feel better?" she asked tightly. "An apology. From him to me. For deceiving me, whether he meant to or not. Maybe, if he actually came back and _told_ me he was sorry, I'd find it a lot easier to believe that he _was_."

Tamahome snorted, shaking his head. "You clearly don't understand how the monarchy works," he replied. "Whether he is in the wrong or not, Hotohori is an emperor. An emperor never makes mistakes, so therefore, an emperor must never apologize for the mistakes he never makes."

KC's jaw dropped ever-so-slightly as she tried to process the information. "But that's … just … stupid!" she finally sputtered. "He's also a human being, and humans make mistakes constantly! It's impossible for one man to be guiltless of any wrongdoing. That'd make him like … like God, or something!"

"Exactly." Tamahome shrugged. "In this world, aside from the Priestess—That's _you_, in case you forgot—the emperor is the link between the gods and the people. Hotohori speaks for Suzaku, on behalf of his people. That makes him the next thing to a god in their eyes."

KC scowled and stared at the floor. "Doesn't mean he's right," she mumbled.

"In case you haven't noticed, Hotohori has an excessive amount of pride. Even for you, I doubt he'd be able to overcome years of instruction on how to be an emperor, no matter how sorry he is on the inside. Whether you like it or not, it's up to you to fix it. If you really care about him, you'll try to understand his position a little more." With those words, Tamahome reached out to give her a brotherly pat on the shoulder. "I expect to see you out of this room today, or I'll get Nuriko to come and bully you into going out, got that? He's a little upset at you, too, for making his precious emperor worry so much. I'm sure he'd be glad to help me."

KC pulled a face at him, but she slowly slid out of the bed and made her way to the table, a little more unsteadily than Tamahome liked to see. He frowned and pressed a hand against her forehead. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?" he asked in concern. "Has your fever come back?"

She irritably batted his hand away. "If I tell you I'm dying, will you leave me alone?" she grumbled. "I'm just worn out, is all. And I want my mom, and Brady and Kimi and—" She choked on the rest of the words as an unexpected sob tried to escape.

Tamahome sighed and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly while stroking her hair soothingly. "It's okay," he whispered. "We'll get you home again, somehow. Only four more Seishi to find, right? Konan isn't that big a country, so it shouldn't be too hard. I mean, look how easy it was to find us! We practically fell into your lap." He smiled at her slightly watery giggle. "For now, just worry about getting your strength back, okay?" She managed a wavering smile and a slight nod, and he nodded back before releasing her and backing away toward the door. "I'll see you later," he told her. Then, as he opened the door, he looked back over his shoulder and flashed her a saucy wink. "But before then, I really hope you take a bath," he added teasingly. "You could use one. Phew!"

He laughed at her outraged screech and slammed the door just in time to avoid the bowl she furiously hurled at his head.

* * *

After following Tamahome's advice (no matter _how_ rudely he'd put it) and taking a long, relaxing soak in the bath, KC felt much more like her old self again. She decided to take a leisurely stroll through the grounds, lest Tamahome make good on his threat to sic Nuriko on her, and found herself wandering aimlessly along the stream again in the direction of the pond. It occurred to her that it might be a good chance to check out the gazebo she'd seen on the water before. She hadn't had a chance to take a look yet.

However, upon reaching the bridge that connected the little island to the shore, she saw that somebody was already in the gazebo, silently gazing out over the water. It didn't take long to recognize Hotohori's familiar stance, and she almost turned around then and there. She was still angry at him for his deceit, but Tamahome's words stayed her feet, and after a moment's hesitation, she heaved a sigh and slowly made her way across the long bridge.

She must have approached more quietly than she thought, for the emperor didn't seem to notice her presence directly behind him, close enough to reach out and tug on his hair. He didn't respond even when she moved to the railing beside him, leaning on it and casting glances at him from the corner of her eye as she waited for his acknowledgement. When several more moments had passed and he still didn't deign to look at her, she began to grow irritated. Either he was more out of it than Tamahome had claimed, or he was simply ignoring her.

"I don't suppose you can give me one good reason why I should keep my promise," she began, and was immensely satisfied to see him jump. "I mean, I was deceived," she continued amiably, "so _I_ think it's only fair to revoke my part of the deal, too." She glanced at him, and Hotohori gazed down at her with wide eyes, seemingly stunned speechless.

She sighed heavily and rested her forehead on her crossed arms. "Still, even if I got home without this whole summoning business, I'd only feel guilty about not helping you when I promised I would, even if I _was_ tricked into it," she grumbled. "I guess that makes me a sucker. But I don't want to be a liar _or_ a coward. So, I guess if you really need me to do this, I won't back out on you. Just don't lie to me anymore, okay? I want to trust you again."

She straightened and brushed her hands together in a that's-that gesture, and would have turned to leave, except she found herself being folded into Hotohori's embrace from behind, his arms coming around her so tightly that she found it hard to breathe. He buried his face into her still-damp hair, breathing in its unique, pleasant scent, and fought the tightness that threatened to choke his voice. "Thank you," he whispered into her hair. "Thank you. I never—I _truly_ never meant to deceive you. Please do not doubt me. Do not doubt the regard I hold you in. Forgive me for—"

"It's funny," KC cut in, trying to speak around the heart pounding in her throat. "Someone just told me that emperors aren't supposed to apologize for their mistakes. He said they never make them in the first place."

Hotohori lifted his head to look at her, his eyes dark and hazy and gentle. "Emperors do not make mistakes," he murmured, threading his fingers into her hair, "but mortal men do. And a true man will fall to his knees and beg forgiveness when he has deeply hurt the one he loves most."

KC melted. "Well, damn it. Now I'll _have_ to forgive you, after an apology like that. You fight dirty," she snorted, a smile twitching at her lips. She felt his chest rumble against her back with soft laughter as he pulled her close again, a flutter of soft kisses ghosting over her cheek and brow.

Neither of them noticed a slight, willowy figure slipping away from the scene, the proud stature and immaculate attire belying the expression of hopelessness and glitter of tears in red-violet eyes.

* * *

When KC finished her walk and returned to her room for a nap, she was surprised to find Mei Lin busily packing her belongings into her backpack, beside which rested another open pack containing what looked to be a pile of neatly-folded clothing. She stopped dead in her tracks, blinking and looking around before asking uncertainly, "Uhhh … am I going somewhere?"

Mei Lin looked up in surprise. "Why, yes," she replied. "Are you not traveling to the Holy Mountain to seek the Creator of the World? I was instructed to pack your things and have you ready to leave first thing in the morning."

KC's jaw dropped. "Y-you mean they're actually gonna take me to see Taiitsukun?" she squeaked. "I get to go home?"

"Does your health not require you to return to your world for a short awhile?" Mei Lin asked uncertainly. "In order to recover more quickly, I mean."

KC gaped at her for a moment. "I'll be right back." She bolted from the room, heading straight to Tamahome's quarters and unceremoniously throwing open the door. "Tama! Is it true? Are we … really going … to … look for … erm … look for…" Her words slowly trailed off while her face quickly turned red, as she took in the sight of Tamahome sitting at his table.

The table that was littered with dice, piles of coins, and the various articles of clothing and weaponry belonging to the group of palace guards surrounding it. All of whom were in various states of undress, Tamahome included. She stared at them for a few moments, while they stared back (some of the less fortunate players doing their best to hide behind their comrades), until KC finally cleared her throat and licked her lips. "Well. This is awkward."

"Uh … huh." Tamahome cleared his throat, as well.

"Strip poker?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well … they ran out of money…"

"I see."

"..."

"So, why don't I just go … step outside for a bit while you fellows … eh … get dressed."

"Good idea!"

"Yep."

"Er … Can I have my sword back?"

"Hell, no!"

"Awww…"

KC hurriedly shut the door on their banter, telling herself quite firmly to remember to _knock_ before barging into a man's room unannounced. She glanced back and shuddered slightly. Especially _that_ man's room, she amended whilst attempting to put the memory of several not-so-attractive, half-naked men out of her mind.

* * *

It could barely be considered the crack of dawn, and yet KC, for some inexplicable reason, found herself standing in the middle of the courtyard with her packs at her feet, dressed in a simple traveling ensemble with a blanket draped around her shoulders (it was _cold_ out there, darn it!), a serious case of bed-head, and a scowl fierce enough to melt rock on her sleepy face.

"Whose lamebrain idea was it to drag us out of bed in the middle of the friggin' night?" she complained loudly, jumping back in time to keep a pack-laden servant—who apparently did not possess the ability to see in near darkness—from colliding with her. She scowled crossly at his back and fought the urge to kick a pebble at his head, or to turn around and stalk back to her room and barricade herself inside until a more normal waking time. Like a few hours past high noon.

She had never been much of a before-the-crack-of-dawn type of person.

Her only satisfaction came in the form of Tamahome and Nuriko, who actually looked worse than _she_ did. They, too, were dressed in simple traveling garments, but they looked like zombies standing there, hair still mussed and clearly half-asleep. Hotohori, however, looked disgustingly bright-eyed and chipper for it being the middle of the night, and KC was forced to remind herself that this was probably a normal waking hour for him and that yanking out his perfect hair would not improve her current mood (by very much). He had traded in his royal robes and crown for a pair of plain cotton pants and a long red tunic. His ever-present sword was belted at his side, the hilt wrapped in strips of linen to disguise its fine workmanship and the royal seal engraved into the pommel. His hair was tied to hang loosely down his back, and although he was obviously trying to disguise his royal blood, KC couldn't help but think he looked more than ever like a prince (or emperor) dressed as a pauper. She was honestly surprised that he was even tagging along. Didn't rulers have to stay at home and … rule or something?

"The sooner we leave for the mountain the sooner we'll get there," Tamahome was telling her. "You wanna go home, right?"

KC nodded and rubbed at her eyes again. "I just wish there was such a thing as espresso in this place," she grumbled.

"What's espresso?" Nuriko asked sleepily as he stumbled his way over to her.

"Coffee," she replied around a yawn, "with like ten times the amount of caffeine."

"So what's coffee?" Tamahome questioned.

KC snorted faintly. "Something you don't have here."

Their conversation was interrupted by the timely arrival of four servants, each leading a saddled horse from the stables. KC eyed their arrival with acute mistrust and a feeling of dread rising in the pit of her stomach. Hotohori noticed her uneasy expression. "What is the matter?"

"Uh … I suppose these guys are for us to ride, huh?" KC said weakly, gesturing to the fidgeting horses.

"No, they're here to see us off. Wave goodbye now," Nuriko deadpanned.

"Hush, Nuriko," Hotohori scolded. "KC, what's wrong? You look a little ill. Is your fever coming back?"

"No, I'm fine. It's just … the thing is, I can't ride a horse," KC admitted nervously, eyeing the fidgeting animal warily.

Tamahome blinked at her. "What do you mean, you can't ride a horse?"

She shrugged. "I can't ride a horse," she repeated. "Did I stutter?"

Tamahome and Nuriko looked at each other. "Have you ever _tried_?" Nuriko asked curiously.

KC shivered, pulling the blanket closer around her. "I did once," she admitted grudgingly. "When I was five years old, my parents took me to visit a horse farm, and my dad thought it would be lots of fun to stick me on top of one of the Clydesdales to take pictures."

"And what is a Clydesdale?" Hotohori asked, pronouncing the unfamiliar name carefully.

"Only the biggest, meanest piece of horse meat ever to be born," KC told him earnestly. "They're at _least_ eighteen feet high, and they have teeth the size of my _hand_. And what's worse, they can smell fear. Soon as my dad stuck me on one's back, it turned around and tried to take my head off! Woulda got it, too, if I hadn't fallen off the other side. I swear it must've taken me two minutes just to hit the ground. Broke my left arm and bruised my tailbone so badly I couldn't sit right for a week, and I haven't been near a horse since."

Tamahome snorted. "You're exaggerating. There's no such thing as an eighteen foot high horse," he scoffed.

KC snorted right back at him. "There is to a five year old! At any rate, I can't ride a horse and I'd rather walk all over the country than get anywhere near one of the nasty monsters, even if it takes a year."

Nuriko sighed. "What shall we do, Sire?" he asked. "We certainly can't _walk_ the whole way there. What would we do with our supplies?"

KC snickered. "You're tough enough for a whole team of horses. It wouldn't be any trouble if you carted them around," she goaded.

He glared daggers at her, and only Hotohori's presence kept him from tossing her through the nearest wall.

"Think there's time to teach her a few basics of riding?" Tamahome questioned.

"No way!" KC yelped. "No. Nada. Nein! No, no, _no_!"

"No?" Tamahome grinned and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, should I rephrase? 'Not a snowflake's chance in hell'," she snapped.

Hotohori thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I suppose there's no help for it," he replied, looking suspiciously cheerful. "If KC cannot ride a horse of her own, and we have no time to teach her, I suppose it is only logical that she ride with one of us. As my mount is the strongest, I shall volunteer."

KC's eyes widened. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Didn't you _hear_ me?" she cried. "I said I'm not gonna riiieeeyyy—" Her complaint ended on a squeal as Tamahome grabbed her waist and lifted her onto the back of Hotohori's mount, sidesaddle. "_Hey_!" she yelped indignantly as the Seishi stepped back with an evil smirk, and her shout startled the stallion, who snorted and shifted uneasily. KC yelped again and struggled to maintain her balance by gripping the white mane, before Hotohori smoothly swung into the saddle behind her. He calmed the nervous beast with practiced ease, giving KC an innocent smile when she glared at him. "There now. This isn't so bad," he told her soothingly. "Just relax. I promise that you will not fall."

"Oh, you're just _loving_ this, aren't you?" she grumbled as he pulled her closer to his chest, his arms coming around her to grip the reigns, the side of her leg pressed to his, enveloping her in warmth. He made a non-committal sound in his throat, a small smile twitching at his lips. She noticed he made no attempt to deny the accusation.

A servant lashed her two packs to the saddle behind them and a third smaller pack belonging to Hotohori.

"Guess it's true what they say, that a woman can never go anywhere without taking half her wardrobe with her," Nuriko teased.

KC shot him a dry glance and pointedly raised an eyebrow at the _four_ very large and bulging packs he'd lashed to his saddle. "Am I the only one seeing the complete irony of that statement?" she asked sweetly, as Tamahome choked back a laugh.

The servant stepped away with a bow. "Everything is ready, Your Majesty," he said seriously. "Please have a safe journey." He bowed again at Hotohori's regal nod, and then he and the other servants slipped away, taking the fourth horse with them.

One of Hotohori's advisors next hurried up to them, huffing with the effort of running. "Sire, I must beg you to reconsider leaving the palace and going on this journey," he began earnestly. "Surely you must realize how dangerous this is! The emperor, traveling alone through unknown wilderness … and with the Priestess of Suzaku, no less, and with what could barely be considered a proper entourage! You are bound to attract unwanted attention. Even if you should disguise yourself there is no way to hide your natural beauty and grace! People shall know who you are at once!"

Hotohori laughed heartily. "Yes, this is very true," he agreed cheerfully. KC shot him an incredulous look, then discreetly rolled her eyes and stuck a finger in her mouth, pretending to gag. Tamahome was forced to choke back a laugh, but Nuriko just shot her a dirty look. "It is quite impossible to hide who I am," the vain emperor continued honestly, "but I am also a Seishi, and I gave my word that I would accompany Her Eminence to Taiitsukun. We three should be more than adequate to protect her should trouble arise."

The advisor looked as though he was about to protest again, but KC hurriedly cut in, "Oh, don't worry, I'm sure we'll be fine. After all, Suzaku is watching over us, right? I _am_ his priestess after all, aren't I?" She gave him the biggest puppy-eyed look she could muster. "Do you think _he'd_ really let anything bad happen to the savior of his country?"

"I—Well, no, of course not, but—" the man stammered, clearly unable to argue in the face of such … cuteness.

"Then you see, there is nothing to worry about," Hotohori continued, shooting the poor man a confident smile. "We will be there and back again in no time. Until then, please do your best to look after things here. I place my trust in you."

"Of course, Your Majesty," the advisor replied humbly, bowing low. "I shall do my best to take charge in your absence."

"Then, if there is nothing more to be said, allow us to be off," Hotohori commanded, flicking the reigns to urge his horse forward. Tamahome and Nuriko quickly followed, and in no time at all they were through the palace gates and making their way through the vast city to take their priestess home.

* * *

_Awww. Who can possibly stay mad at that sweet, pretty face for long? Hotohori's totally got KC wrapped around his little finger. Just like everyone else. XD_

_And ... eh ... I've gotten so many reviews asking to update. I wouldn't mind a few more saying you're actually reading this thing and all. I could still be working on my original novels instead and leaving this to rot on my harddrive, you know. :P_


	18. Roughing It the Seishi Way

_Thank you for the absolutely lovely review. :) Here's your reward._

* * *

**Eighteen  
****Roughing It (the Seishi Way)**

It had been two days since KC and her Seishi had begun their cross-country trek to the mysterious Holy Mountain (whose true name seemed forever to elude KC's memory), and she could not remember ever feeling more miserable. She was not, she decided, the outdoorsy, Davy Crockett sort of person that would enjoy such a venture. Considering her last real camping trip had consisted of her grandparents' fifteen-foot luxury motor home that included a real bathroom, a working oven, and all the DVDs she could stomach, her current expedition felt more like military boot camp in comparison.

They'd brought only the bare minimum of everything they'd need. Spare blankets, a few extra changes of clothes, and enough food and water to last for perhaps four days. There were no rainproof tents, no blow-up camping mattresses, no down-filled sleeping bags; just the lumpy ground and a blanket to sleep on, with the softer of her two packs shoved under her head for a pillow. When the water ran out, they refilled the bamboo carriers from streams, and when KC asked what they would eat if their food ran out, Nuriko had smiled evilly and asked how she would like her field mice and squirrels prepared. She hadn't broached the subject since.

It didn't help that her fever couldn't seem to decide if it was coming or going. At one point she'd feel perfectly fine, and in less than half an hour would feel as though she was going to fall over dead. She did her best to keep up and not complain, realizing that time was of the essence, but Hotohori always seemed to know when she had reached her limit and called for frequent stops so she could rest. Needless to say, this made her feel more than a little useless, but nobody seemed to mind. In fact, between the four of them, KC was the one who protested the most.

During their final stop of the second day, KC rested against the base of a tree and listened as Tamahome and Nuriko set up camp (which consisted of more arguing than the actual setting-up of anything). She wondered if she should get up and help them, but she couldn't seem to will herself to move, feeling tired beyond all reason. _This sucks, _she griped to herself. _I hardly ever get sick and now when I do, I don't even have any decent medicine handy! Two extra-strength cold pills would knock this crap right out of me, if I could just get home to _get _the bloody stuff!_

A quiet footstep beside her brought her thoughts back to the present and she opened her eyes to find Hotohori kneeling beside her, a bowl of vegetables and rice in his hands. Surprised, KC turned her head to see the camp up with a small fire burning in the temporary fire pit, as Tamahome tended their supper over it. She must've dozed off and hadn't even realized it. "Here," Hotohori said gently, handing her the bowl. "Eat this to gain your strength, and be sure to drink plenty of water, too."

"Thanks, but I'm not really hungry," KC replied, waving the bowl away. "I just want to rest here a little."

"KC, you really should eat more," he coaxed. "You won't be able to get well if your body doesn't receive proper nourishment."

"Later," she promised, closing her eyes again.

"KC—"

"I said I'll eat later, okay?" Unexpectedly vexed, she fixed him with a scowl. "You don't have to baby me every step of the way, you know! I'm not three years old! Just leave me alone for once, can't you?" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to kick herself. But the damage was done; she could see the hurt in his eyes as he silently rose to his feet and made his way back to the campfire. "Stupid, stupid, _stupid_," she cursed herself, closing her eyes again and banging her head against the trunk. Now she'd have to apologize.

A hard, sharp pain suddenly blossomed in her cheek, causing her to squeal loudly as her eyes snapped open in shock. She was met with an angry, red-violet glare only inches away from her face. "Wha're you doin'?" she yelped, speaking with difficulty thanks to Nuriko's violent grip on her cheek. Instead of answering, Nuriko shoved a familiar bowl of vegetables and rice under her nose, his furious scowl deepening.

"I'd give anything for His Majesty to pay me the kind of attention he gives to you," the irate Seishi hissed, "and you don't even _appreciate_ it! So you are going to _sit_ there and you are going to let him _feed_ you, _water_ you, have his _way_ with you if he so chooses, and you are _darn_ well gonna _enjoy _it! _Understand_?"

KC stared up at him through wide, startled eyes. "Y-yessir!" she squeaked, meekly taking the bowl from his fingers and shoving a few bites of rice into her mouth, making a great show of chewing and swallowing while Nuriko stood over her and glowered. When the bowl was empty, he plucked it from her hands and gave her a patronizing pat on the head. "Good girl," he chirped. "Now drink your water, apologize to His Majesty for acting like such a little ogre, and go to bed! We leave bright and early in the morning!" With a little titter he scurried away, leaving KC to grumble under her breath as she struggled to her feet.

"That pushy little—I just bet he was a dominatrix in another life," she muttered, plopping onto her designated blanket and pulling it over her chin. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, listening to the men speaking quietly among themselves. As it grew darker, there came the sounds of bodies sliding beneath blankets, a few murmured goodnights, and then all was quiet, save for the various woodland noises and the crackling of the dying fire.

KC opened her eyes. Sleep continued to elude her, and she knew very well why. In the dim light, she could see Hotohori sprawled only a few feet away, lying on his back with one arm tucked under his head and the other resting at his side. The glitter of his eyes told her that he was still awake, gazing up at the overhanging branches and the dark sky stretching above.

Hesitantly, she reached over to pluck at his sleeve, drawing his attention. "I'm sorry for … um … for what I said to you earlier," she whispered when he turned his face toward her. "I didn't mean to be so nasty. I appreciate what you're doing for me, and I know I'm probably a pain to look after. I feel stupid for holding everyone back since I'm the reason we're even on this trip," she confessed softly.

Hotohori's hand rose to cover hers in a soft caress, squeezing lightly as he threaded their fingers together and pressed a soft kiss to her palm. He didn't say a word, but that was okay. In the light of the fire, his gentle smile told her that she was very much forgiven, and when she finally drifted to sleep, her hand was still wrapped in his warm and soothing grasp.

* * *

They were attacked at dawn.

KC was startled awake by the sudden war cries of what seemed to be a very large band of raggedly-dressed men with dirty, leering faces and greasy hair. All of them brandished various weapons as they converged on the little party from the trees, whooping and hollering fit to wake a corpse.

She heard the alarmed yells of her Seishi as they scrambled into action, and then the ringing sound of clashing weapons, the thud and slap of fists meeting flesh, and the pounding of booted feet on the ground all around her. She sat up in a panic, her blurry eyes and fuzzy mind barely able to focus on the chaos of the smack-down, all out brawl taking place on all sides.

"KC! Get the hell out of here! Hide!" She thought it was Nuriko who'd yelled, but was unable to tell for sure. Nevertheless, the words spurred her into action and she struggled to untangle herself from the blanket and make her way toward a relatively safe-looking copse a good distance away from the battle. She didn't get very far, however, before she was grabbed roughly from behind. She shrieked as the culprit shoved his greasy face into hers and gave her a wide, malicious leer, showing off his rotting stumps of teeth, his foul breath reeking of alcohol and old meat. "Hullo, luv," he cackled. "Goin' somewhere, are ye? Why don't ye stay awhile an' keep me company, aye?"

KC fought against the tight hold on her arms, trying hard to think of what to do. Screaming for help or kneeing him right between his grubby legs would have probably been the safest move, but in her rather dazed state of reasoning, the only thing she could wonder was why in the world a Chinese bandit was speaking with an English accent.

"Alright, then! Ever'body drop yer weapons!" another man – assumingly the leader – bellowed loudly, immediately bringing the fighting to a stumbling halt. He grabbed KC from his crony and spun her around, keeping an elbow locked around her neck and a rough grip in her hair. "If ye don't want the girl's throat ta be slit, ye'll do what I say!"

Tamahome yelled furiously when he saw KC in the bandit's grip, a blade pressed against her throat. When he started forward, Hotohori threw out his arm to stop him. "Don't," he hissed. "You'll only endanger her further."

Cursing under his breath, Tamahome dropped the dagger he'd stolen off one of the thieves and punched his fist into his other palm angrily. "What're we supposed to do now?" he muttered.

"We have nothing of value," Hotohori said calmly, addressing the thieves, "unless you wish to steal what few supplies we possess. Take what you wish. Only let the girl go."

"Naw, I'm thinkin' mebbe I'd rather take th' girl," the leader smirked, nuzzling his nose into KC's hair, while his followers chuckled and sneered. "Been a long time since I saw a perty little thing like her. Me'n my boys've been lonely, heh, fellas?"

More nasty chuckles and a few obscene comments followed. KC wrinkled her nose at the sour odor of old sweat the man permeated and tried to squirm away, only to still when she felt the sharp edge of the blade press more tightly against her throat. Her eyes widened, seeing the helpless fury in the eyes of her Seishi, and it occurred to her rather belatedly that she ought to be more than a little scared. After all, here she was being held at knife-point by some smelly bandit, and her so-called "protectors" didn't seem to be doing much of anything about it. What had happened to all those "special abilities" they were supposed to have? Why were they standing around looking like a bunch of petrified dummies? It didn't inspire much confidence in their abilities to keep her alive, to say the least.

Hotohori was visibly trembling as he plunged his precious sword into the ground, halfway to the hilt. He'd never looked so furious before. KC never knew he could even _make_ such an expression, but his face promised grim retribution should he ever get a hand on her captors.

Which didn't appear to be any time soon, as the bandit who held her began to slowly back away, dragging her with him. She struggled weakly, digging in her heels and clawing at his arm, conscious always of the knife at her throat. They were going to take her. They were going to take her and do heaven-only-knew-what to her and then they'd probably kill her and she'd never see her mom or Brady or Kimiko ever again and they'd never even know what had _happened_ to her and—

"_NO!_"

The yell came, surprisingly enough, from her own mouth, yet even as the word was ripped from her throat, she felt a heady wave of heat rush past her body, singing along her back like the prickle of an electrical fence. She released a startled screech as the unexpected wave of power hit her captor full-on from behind, and suddenly found herself free as the man was hurtled into the air with a howl of pain, flying across the clearing to collide headfirst with a hapless tree and collapse in a crumpled heap.

The other bandits (and Seishi) stood in stunned wonder for a moment, trying to figure out what had just happened. They gaped at KC, who was standing and blinking and looking more than a little confused herself as she patted her body all over, trying to figure out where that power wave had come from. Failing that, she glanced up at the men surrounding her, faced with alternately amazed (from her Seishi) and accusing (from the bandits) stares.

"Don't look at me! I didn't do it!" she yelped.

"Well, it had to have come from _somewhere_," Nuriko pointed out logically.

"I believe I can explain, no da," replied an unfamiliar, strangely high-pitched voice, seemingly from nowhere. Both KC and her Seishi—as well as the bandits, who seemed to have forgotten the reason for being there in the first place—jumped in surprise. They blinked at each other, then scanned the area until they spotted a rather strange-looking person emerging casually from the shadows of the trees, as calmly as any passerby who happened to be out for a morning stroll. If one considered a battlefield a pleasant place to stroll through, anyway.

He looked like one of those wandering monks that KC had seen on the Japanese anime shows at Kimiko's house. Kimiko was, in actuality, quite the closet anime nerd. It must've been because all that studying had short-circuited something in her brain. At any rate, the stranger approached, complete with a patterned cape, beads, a woven straw hat slung about his neck, and the staff-thingy with the little jingly rings on top. Yep. A typical, old-time Japanese monk.

_But isn't this place supposed to be some whacked-out version of China?_ KC wondered in confusion.

Completely ignoring the bandits, the monk paused before the Seishi and tilted his head respectfully, his gravity-defying bangs briefly hiding his face. And now KC was faced with another weird hairstyle, pale blue this time, shaved all around except for his bangs and what looked like a long tail down the back. It was no less shocking than Nuriko's purple mane. He looked like an extremely _happy_ monk, what with that stupid smile plastered all over his face, she thought. "Um, and … you are…?" she questioned cautiously.

"You may call me Chichiri, no da," the monk replied courteously, still smiling that happy-go-lucky smile of his. KC was just wondering if his face knew how to make any other expression when Hotohori's startled exclamation brought her out of her musings.

"Chichiri?" the emperor repeated, eyes widening. "You are another Seishi, then?"

"He is?" KC yelped, gaping at the monk in disbelief.

"I am," Chichiri replied gravely.

"Well … _shoot_," KC stated, for lack of anything more astonished to say.

"How did you know where to find us, though?" Nuriko asked, his tone suspicious.

"The Seishi are supposed to be able to sense the Priestess of Suzaku, no matter where she is in the world, and follow the link to her, no da," Chichiri began in a rather condescending tone. "Likewise, the Seishi also should be able to sense each _other_, no da. The closer we are to each other, the stronger the bond, and yet for as long as I was in those trees you didn't realize I was there, and not even twenty feet away, na no da." He shook his head scoldingly. "You must all learn to better hone your senses, no da. The fact that these simple bandits were able to take you by surprise so thoroughly does not speak well of your ability to protect the priestess, na no da! What if they had been Kutou assassins, instead, who have the ability to disguise their chi from our senses?"

The Seishi looked appropriately cowed. Even Hotohori squirmed guiltily beneath the weight of Chichiri's disapproval. KC frowned, feeling rather defensive toward her friends. _It's not like they've got _experience _in this sort of thing,_ she thought sulkily. _He ought to ease up a little._

It was then that the bandits apparently decided they were tired of being ignored. With low growls and curses, they raised their weapons and began to advance once again, more than eager to resume the fight. But they'd forgotten three things. The first was that KC was now (relatively) free of danger. The second was that there was now another (rather powerful) ally on the victims' side. And the third … was simply that those selfsame victims were really, _really_ pissed off.

Needless to say, Hotohori, Tamahome, and Nuriko needed no incentive to launch themselves back into the fray (while KC quickly scrambled toward the nearest hiding place to keep herself _out_ of it), snatching up weapons and readying fists to deliver the good ass-whoopin' the thieves deserved for daring to lay one hand on _their_ priestess. Hotohori was especially enthusiastic as he ignored his sword altogether to land a face-cracking punch into the nose of the English-accented bandit, relishing in the crunch of breaking bone beneath his knuckles.

"Good shot, Your Majesty!" Nuriko crowed as he proceeded to toss yet another body onto the pile he was accumulating. "That's four for me!" he added as an aside to Tamahome, who was swiftly building his own pile. Tamahome muttered something uncomplimentary under his breath and proceeded to lay out another bandit, while Chichiri swiftly took care of three more with another blast of his chi and a few knocks upside the head with his staff.

KC, overhearing the exchange from her makeshift hiding place in the lower branches of a tree, rolled her eyes and shook her head in exasperation. _Boys._

It didn't take long for the bandits to figure out that they were well outmatched in hand-to-hand combat, no matter that there were eight times as many of them as the four Seishi. But they were somewhat of a cowardly lot, and their leader was still out cold and therefore in no position to goad them into continuing the fight. So, one by one, they came to the conclusion that the travelers just weren't worth the effort of robbing, even with a real, live girl as the prize. That being decided, they turned tail to flee into the forest as fast as their grubby legs could take them, dragging as many of their unconscious comrades as they could manage and yelping as a few final chi-blasts kissed their heels on the way out.

Once the last yowling thief had vanished, dragging his prone leader by the feet, the Seishi sank to the ground in an exhausted heap and tried to catch their breath. KC dropped from her perch to join them, clapping her hands. "That was the best fight I've seen since the International Mud-wrestling Smack-down on Pay Per View," she stated cheerfully.

There was a moment of confused silence. Then, "Do _you_ know what she's talking about?" Tamahome asked Nuriko wearily.

"Do I _ever_?" came the exasperated response.

KC turned to Nuriko, opening her mouth to let loose a catty remark, but she forgot about saying anything as her jaw continued to hang open and her eyes widened in shock. Nuriko, expecting an insult and getting nothing, turned to regard her with a raised eyebrow and noticed her gawping at him like a suffocating fish. "_What?_" he demanded irritably.

"N-Nuriko, your … um … your clothes…" KC gestured feebly at him, eyes glancing nervously around at their companions, and his frown deepened as he glanced down at himself. He promptly released a horrified squeal and grabbed the gaping ends of his torn robe, attempting to cover his very bare and _extremely_ non-feminine chest. His gaze darted frantically around to see if anyone—specifically Hotohori—had noticed this lapse in decorum. His actions proved useless, however; Hotohori had indeed taken notice of Nuriko's lack of … feminine attributes, and was now gaping at him with open astonishment.

KC and Tamahome exchanged uneasy glances. _Uh-oh._

"Nuriko—What are—You—" For once, the eloquent emperor appeared to lack sufficient words, his brow furrowing as he sought to comprehend what he was _certain_ he'd seen.

"You dork!" KC sighed, smacking Nuriko across the arm and causing him to jump, losing his grip on the torn hem, which flapped to the side and bared his chest all over again. Nuriko frantically tried to recover himself, took one glance at Hotohori's bewildered expression, sighed heavily, and gave it up as a lost cause. KC almost felt sorry for the poor guy. "Didn't it ever occur to you to wrap your chest in case something like this happened?" she muttered. "Then you could've at least stuffed the wrapping and _fake_ having 'em."

"I never needed a reason to until _you_ showed up," he hissed back.

She glared at him. "No _way_ you're gonna pin this one on me," she growled, poking him. "This is your _own_ fault." Then, before he could argue further, she turned away and strode over to Hotohori, who seemed to be recovering from his shock … at least enough so that he now looked a bit put-out.

Double uh-oh…

"Hotohori? Please don't be mad at him, okay?" she asked timidly. "I'm sure he's got, um, a reasonable explanation for why he dresses this way … but there really isn't any harm in him doing so, is there? So you can just … accept the fact that he dresses like a girl and let it go, can't you?"

Hotohori frowned at her. "KC, do you mean to say that you _knew_ about this?" he asked sternly.

_Eep! Backtrack! Backtrack!_

"I—Well, that is—" she stammered, feeling herself sinking deeper and deeper into the pit she'd just dug under her own feet. She shot a desperate glance at Tamahome, silently pleading for help, but he was too busy trying to look innocent to notice. She scowled. _My hero._

It was, surprisingly, Nuriko who came to her rescue.

"Please, Sire, don't be angry with her. I swore her to secrecy," the Seishi murmured, lowering himself respectfully to one knee with his fist resting against his chest in a gesture of fealty. "She only recently found out and I pleaded with her to keep her silence."

Hotohori frowned, looking even angrier. "You deliberately disguised your true gender and infiltrated Our harem … and for what purpose?" he questioned, his voice dangerously soft. "Before … when KC told Us about … your supposed feelings for Us…"

"I…" Nuriko's entire face was red, and the glint of tears was in his eyes. "That is, I—"

"Were you hoping to be chosen as Our empress?" Hotohori finished, his eyes glittering with suppressed anger.

KC gulped. And now he was back to using the Imperial We. This was _really_ not a good sign. "Hotohori." She tugged at his sleeve, trying to calm him down, but he merely gripped her hand with his own and removed it.

"Please do not interrupt. This does not concern you. We are waiting for an answer, Nuriko."

KC sucked in a breath, offended at being brushed aside so easily. "Excuse me? It does _so_ concern me," she huffed, ignoring her better sense, which was telling her quite loudly that it really would be better to obey Hotohori when he was in Emperor Mode. "Nuriko is _my_ Seishi! And if he wasn't at the palace he wouldn't _be_ here with us, would he? Isn't it a _good_ thing he got into your harem? Didn't it make it _that_ much easier to find him?"

Still frowning, Hotohori turned his attention to her. "That matter aside—" he began, but Tamahome chose to finally speak up.

"With all due respect, You Majesty, isn't it traditional for the members of your court to go _seeking_ these women who come into your harem? They don't usually come on their own. Only the best are considered, aren't they? So, wouldn't it be your advisors' faults for bringing Nuriko here and not thoroughly investigating him before doing so? It would hardly be fair to blame Nuriko for their carelessness."

"That's right!" KC hurriedly jumped in. "Why punish Nuriko for something he's probably been doing for _years_ before being brought to the palace? And it's not like he had a choice but to go, is it? If you have to punish someone (although you don't really _have_ to, you know), then punish your guys! Or at least just make sure your girls are thoroughly checked out from now on."

Hotohori sighed; his anger seemed to be slowly fading, but now he looked tired. "I assure you, my advisors are hardly incompetent when it comes to investigating potentials for my future empress," he stated blandly. KC secretly rejoiced to hear him speaking normally again. "After all, it would not do for one of them to murder the emperor in his sleep because she is in actuality a hired assassin, would it?"

"So it's just like I said, then," KC pointed out triumphantly. "For Nuriko's case, your guys got incompetent, and it's because Suzaku _wanted_ him in your palace so he'd be close when I finally arrived, and the best way to get him there was through your harem! It makes sense, see? And as for the whole cross-dressing thing, does it really matter? I mean, some guys like dressing like girls, and some guys like other guys. What's the big deal?"

"Yes … well…" Hotohori sighed. "I suppose I cannot blame him. I am, after all, irresistible. He would likely not be the _first_ man to have ever fallen in love with me." He preened a little, which was a rather difficult thing to do with leaves and twigs tangled in his hair and dirt staining his clothes and his lip swollen and bleeding from the punch he'd received during the fight.

Sensing the danger had passed, Nuriko rose slowly to his feet, still looking embarrassed, but mostly relieved to be escaping punishment so easily. Bowing again, he made his way back to their trampled sleeping area to pick up what remained of their belongings. Tamahome and KC followed his example, while Hotohori remained behind to converse with Chichiri in hushed tones, probably updating the newest Seishi on the current plan to get KC to the sacred mountain and back to her world.

As she was shaking out her blankets, KC happened to glance up and catch Nuriko's gaze. He was watching her silently, as though he'd never seen her before, or as if he was trying to figure her out. She squirmed a bit under the intense scrutiny, aware of what he was probably thinking. "Well, um, it's not like you'd be a lot of use if you were locked up in a dungeon, right?" she replied to his unspoken question. "I mean, I need all seven of you if I'm ever gonna get this whole summoning thing over with. Besides, I gotta look out for my Seishi." When he didn't reply, she added hopefully, "And maybe now that you see I'm not such a horrible person, you'll be a little nicer to me, too. Since I stuck up for you and all. Right?"

His lips twitched. "Don't hold your breath," he snorted, but he was smiling as he said it.

* * *

_I estimate perhaps another two chapters before Book One ends. Maybe three. Just to let ya'll know._


	19. Wherein Our Heroine Meets the Maker

**Nineteen  
****Wherein Our Heroine Meets the Maker**

It didn't take them long to realize that quite a few of their supplies had inexplicably gone missing. Apparently, fleeing for their lives had not deterred the bandits from helping themselves to the unguarded packs lying scattered about the camp on their way out. KC had manage to hang on to her backpack only because she'd thought to grab it in her scramble to hide, but three of the four satchels holding their spare clothes and most of the foodstuffs were gone. Even the horses had gone missing.

"Well, look on the bright side," Tamahome chirped. "At least they didn't get my money!" And he pulled a well-worn string of coins from the front of his breeches. KC turned bright red, while Nuriko looked fit to kill.

"May I?" He regarded KC hopefully.

"Go for it," she snorted, and the purple-haired Seishi cheerfully broke a large branch off a nearby tree and started toward Tamahome, who promptly decided to go Somewhere Else. Now.

Chichiri, witnessing the exchange, raised an eyebrow. "Are they always like this, no da?" he asked through his fixed smile.

Hotohori sighed and wearily rubbed a temple. "You have no idea."

"Yeah. You see what I gotta put up with?" KC added in mock exasperation. "My Seishi are _so_ weird." She smiled innocently at the emperor's deadpan expression. "Anyway," she continued more seriously, "what should we do? Nuriko says we only have about a day's worth of food left. I guess we could always ambush Tamahome and steal his money if we have to, but we haven't seen an actual village in days. Does this sacred mountain even exist?"

"Of course it exists!" Hotohori looked offended. "The sacred mountain can be seen only by the pure of heart. To anyone with evil intent, there will be nothing but dry, barren land, but as we have no evil intent in our hearts, we will reach Taiitsukun safely."

"If you say so," KC replied doubtfully. "But, I mean, what if Taiitsukun doesn't want me to leave? The priestesses aren't usually allowed to go home before they do their jobs, right? So what if Suzaku or Taiitsukun won't let us see the mountain to keep me here?"

Hotohori hesitated. Apparently, he had never considered this setback before. Then he smiled reassuringly at KC. "I am certain that Suzaku understands the need for you to return to your world for a time," he told her. "You cannot properly perform your duties as his Priestess if this homesickness continues to plague your heart. You will always be torn between this world and your own. I trust that you will return to us as soon as you have set your mind at ease and regained your strength. My country can hold its own until you come back to us again."

He sounded so certain that KC couldn't help but wince a bit guiltily. If she was going to be perfectly honest with herself, she had to admit that there was a small, nagging thought at the back of her mind. An idea that, as soon as she landed in her own world, she could just take the book and shove it back on the shelf in the library (or even better, burn it) and pretend that she'd never laid eyes on it. Out of sight, out of mind and all that. But now, she wondered if she'd ever really be able to escape from the book's hold. Even if she managed to destroy it, would she ever be able to forget it? In her mind, she would always _know_ that someone—An entire _world_ of someones—was waiting for her to keep her promise and save an empire from a deadly war. The thought of disappointing the people who had come to depend on her, especially the ones whom she had come to depend on in return, left a sour taste in the back of her throat.

Yeah. She would be coming back, all right. She doubted her dratted conscience would let her have it any other way.

"If you'll kindly allow me to explain, I believe I can help put your minds at ease about your dilemma, no da," Chichiri spoke up suddenly. "I've just come from Taiitsukun myself, as a matter of fact, to retrieve all of you and bring you to her palace, na no da."

KC's jaw dropped. "You mean you know Taiitsukun personally?" she asked.

"I have been studying magic under Taiitsukun's tutelage these past several years now, no da," the monk affirmed. "We've both been aware of your presence since your arrival, Priestess of Suzaku."

"Well, then how come you didn't show up right away?" KC asked suspiciously. "Didn't you get the summons Hotohori sent out?"

"We thought it best to wait until the time was right, na no da," he replied mysteriously.

KC's brow furrowed, expressing without words her opinion of that faulty piece of logic, but didn't press the issue. "So, well, how do we get there then?" she questioned instead. "Do we gotta keep walking?"

Instead of replying, Chichiri simply unfastened the strange-looking robe tied about his body, spreading it out between them like some sort of a picnic blanket. KC gave it a blank stare, then looked up at the monk with raised eyebrows. "We're, um, going by way of magic carpet?" she guessed randomly.

Chichiri snorted. "Don't be silly, no da," he admonished, and tapped the robe-turned-blanket once with the butt of his staff.

Was it KC's imagination, or did the fabric just … _glow_ a little?

"Hop on!" Chichiri announced cheerfully.

"And … then what?" The question came from a suspicious Nuriko, who had just rejoined the party. Tama wasn't far behind, sporting a fresh lump on the head.

"Don't you trust me, no da?" Chichiri asked with wounded innocence. Well, as wounded as a person could sound while smiling, at any rate. Really, was the guy's face _stuck_ like that?

"About as far as _she_ could throw you," Nuriko muttered in reply, jerking his thumb at KC, who promptly stuck her tongue out at him.

"Well, carpe diem and all that," she proclaimed. "Just don't go hollering at me when you get boot prints all over your clothes." And with that, she stepped onto the robe, unconsciously holding her breath.

Nothing happened.

"Uh … is it broken?" she asked, mystified. She bounced a little. "Abracadabra!"

Tamahome stepped on with her, and still nothing untoward occurred. Hotohori followed him, and finally, a reluctant Nuriko stepped on as well. As soon as both of his feet were planted on the robe, Chichiri stepped into the center of it and gave it another hard tap with his staff…

And the ground abruptly began to fold in on itself beneath their feet.

KC shrieked in surprise and latched onto the nearest support, which happened to be Hotohori. Unfortunately, the emperor's balance wasn't any steadier than hers, but he clutched KC to him like a lifeline, attempting to remain upright as the ground rippled like water beneath them, pulling them under and through to … somewhere else.

It took KC a few moments to realize that the unpleasant heaving had ceased and she was once again on solid ground, clinging to Hotohori like a barnacle to a ship. She slowly raised her face from its place buried against his chest and looked around, blinking against the too-brilliant light.

The forest had vanished around them. In its stead, they stood on the precipice of an enormous mountain, with soaring cliffs and heart-stopping drop-offs that appeared bottomless due to the thick mists hovering in the chasms. The ground was now some sort of courtyard paved with huge, pale, multi-colored blocks of tile. The air surrounding them was filled with strange, shimmering, rainbow-hued bubbles, and just past Nuriko—who had scrambled up and continued to cling like a giant purple monkey to Tamahome's oxygen-deprived torso—a winding staircase ascended to the foot of a majestic palace, which towered over everything. It was even more breathtaking than Hotohori's palace.

"Wh-where are we?" she breathed, gazing around in awe. "This place is fantastic!"

"This can only be the Sacred Mountain. No _mortal_ palace could ever exceed the magnificence of my own," Hotohori replied thoughtfully, and KC shot him an deadpan look before abruptly realizing that she was still practically wrapped around his body. Of course, he didn't seem to mind, as his own arms were fixed rather securely about her shoulders. Nevertheless, she hastily released him and stepped away, offering a sheepish grin by way of apology.

"So, uh, I guess we'd better go see about meeting Taiitsukun," she stated with more confidence than she felt. "Where'd Chichiri take himself off to, anyway? If he got stuck in cyberspace somewhere, it'd serve him right for not _warning_ us. I mean, hasn't he heard of _normal_ transportation?"

"I would have thought that you would be thanking my pupil for saving you all the trouble of another two days of walking with no supplies," came a dry, crackly, admonishing voice from just behind KC.

Startled, the priestess turned around, and abruptly released a screech of fright and scrambled to hide behind Hotohori's broad back. "It's a monster! Kill it! Kill it!" she wailed, clutching onto the emperor's shoulders for dear life. Hotohori was too busy looking nauseated to reply, but he did start to draw his sword.

"Oh, knock it off you two!" the hideous entity bellowed, producing a huge, comical-looking mallet from out of nowhere and brandishing it threateningly. "Here I am, welcoming you into my home, and you both have the gall to insult me?"

"Your … home?" KC gulped, peeking around Hotohori's shoulder for a better look at the creature.

"Then … _you_ are Taiitsukun?" Hotohori asked with an air of utter disbelief, regarding it with a mixture of shock and utter horror.

"Of course I am, you Suzaku ninnies!" the Emperor of the Heavens roared, taking a swing at Hotohori's head. "Who were you expecting?"

"Somebody … er … taller?" Nuriko muttered as an aside to Tamahome, and received a whack across the head from the mallet, sending him crashing to the ground in a twitching heap.

Tamahome wisely kept his mouth shut.

KC regarded the Emperor of the Heavens more closely, fascinated despite her initial fright. Now that she got a good look, the odd little creature didn't really look so much like a monster as an extremely wrinkled, extremely decrepit old woman. Who appeared as though she might have once upon a time been resurrected from some ancient Egyptian tomb. If there was such a thing on this world. Now KC could see that the woman appeared to be floating in midair on some sort of cloud (_Like that Goku guy and his pet cloud-thingy,_ she thought), with her legs tucked under her robes. She floated at eye-level, but were she actually standing, she would have probably only reached KC's hip.

KC felt she ought to apologize, if she wanted to have any chance of actually going home again, so she timidly stepped forward—keeping a wary eye on the mallet—and bowed respectfully. "I'm, uh, sorry about the monster crack, Your … erm … Majesty," she said. "I didn't expect to, uh, see you, and you just startled me, that's all."

"I suppose it is possible for such a mistake to be made," the old woman grumbled, patting her elaborate coif of hair. "Just don't let it happen again."

KC nudged Hotohori in the ribs, and he bowed awkwardly, as well. "Please also forgive my misunderstanding," he added, as sincerely as possible, considering he could not directly look at the Emperor of the Heavens, and was in fact looking rather green around the gills.

Taiitsukun eyed him haughtily, before waving a wrinkled hand. "Never mind then," she huffed. "You've come all this way to see me, so it must be important. Let us adjourn to my palace now." She waved a hand, and the giant square of tile the group stood on abruptly heaved, began to shake slightly, and slowly rose into the air. KC yelped and hit the deck, clinging to the polished surface as best she could. Her Seishi quickly sat down next to her, gripping the edges of the stone, and they began to move very swiftly toward the palace. "I think I'd rather ride a horse," KC groaned, burying her face against the cold stone.

Taiitsukun led the way under her own power, her elaborate robes and length of white hair streaming behind her. Soon enough, the tile reached the palace, rudely depositing its riders by flipping up to allow them to slide off and land in rather undignified heaps before the huge, open doors. Then it flew away again. Presumably to put itself back in place on the mountain courtyard.

"Welcome, no da!" Chichiri greeted them, waving cheerfully from his place beside an ornate throne, to which Taiitsukun glided and settled herself on with the air of a queen … or a very prissy cat.

"Have you been here the whole time?" KC accused. "You might've brought us with you, you know."

"Somebody had to inform Taiitsukun of your arrival, no da. It's very rude to just barge into somebody's palace unannounced, na no da," Chichiri sniffed.

KC faltered for a second. He had a point. "Well, um, if she's the Emperor of the Heavens, wouldn't she already know we were here?" she pointed out.

"It's a matter of formality, no da," Chichiri replied with wounded dignity.

"Yeah, okay, whatever. Now that we're here … can I go home now? I really, really want to go home now," KC whined, turning beseeching eyes to Taiitsukun. "They said you could get me there. You can, right?"

Taiitsukun eyed the priestess speculatively.

"I know what you're probably thinking," KC hastily added. "If she goes home, will she come back again? Well, I _will_ come back. I made a promise to help Konan, didn't I? Do you think I'd be able to live with myself if I broke it?"

"Sometimes, although their intentions might be honorable, humans allow themselves to become distracted from their goals," Taiitsukun stated gravely. "You may have the initial determination to return here, but when you are home, can you promise that you will continue to hold Konan first in your mind? How can you claim that you will not allow the comforts of your true life to lure you from your duties here? Perhaps, it will be, 'I will return tomorrow, once I have taken care of matters here.' And then, when tomorrow comes, you may tell yourself, 'I'll return the next day. I haven't spent enough time saying farewell to my family.' And perhaps, the day after that, you will feel that you are too tired to return, and you still need time to regain your strength, so you must spend another day resting, and after that—"

"I won't do that!" KC blurted, then blushed when Taiitsukun looked at her admonishingly. "I won't … I won't let myself become distracted," she continued more calmly. "I'm just worried about my mom and my friends. They're probably freaking out, wondering what happened to me. It's been weeks, and nobody knows where I am. I … I have to let them know I'm okay." She stared down at the floor, feeling her eyes burn. What if, after all that, Taiitsukun didn't allow her to leave, after all?

"Please, Your Eminence, we have traveled all this way in the hopes that you could help KC," Hotohori began softly. "She has been ill, and will not recover properly until she can ease her mind about her family. If Suzaku himself has chosen her to serve him, then why must we doubt her? Surely, he would not choose someone who is so selfish that she would simply abandon those who depend on her at the first opportunity."

Taiitsukun sighed and waved a dismissive hand. "This is all highly irregular," she said dryly. "I cannot recall a time when a priestess and her Seishi have requested leave _before_ she completes her duties. Of course, there have only been two other priestesses thus far, and their particular situations were … somewhat different." Seeing the questioning looks on the faces of her guests, she continued, "That is a story best related at another time. You are all tired from your battle, and some of you are injured. Doubtless you are hungry, as well. Allow my Nyan-Nyan to heal and feed you, and then I request that you stay the night to fully regain your strength. I will think on this matter in the meantime."

KC wanted to protest, but when her Seishi simply bowed in acquiesce with the Emperor of the Heaven's wishes, she realized she was defeated for the time being. She felt her shoulders slumping as disappointment crashed heavily onto them. She was so close to getting her wish, and now this. She had never been very patient when it came to getting something she desperately wanted. Suddenly, she felt very, very tired. The burning behind her eyes intensified, and she blinked rapidly, trying to look like everything was okay, and that she wasn't about to break down into a wailing, blubbering mess in front of everyone.

Of course, Hotohori knew better—He always seemed to know everything in regards to her emotions—and she felt his arm come around her soothingly and pull her closer. "It will be all right," he assured her gently. "For now, allow Taiitsukun to show us her hospitality. We are all a bit worn out, after all. A meal and a night of rest will do much to restore our spirits."

She nodded silently, not trusting herself to speak in case her frustration made itself known in apparent anger; it wasn't Hotohori's fault that Taiitsukun was denying their request, after all.

Taiitsukun clapped her hands and the weird pink bubbles that were floating randomly about the room suddenly burst with an audible pop, allowing eleven or twelve strange-looking little girls with aqua-colored hair and huge eyes to drop to the floor amid childish giggles. KC forgot her ire as she gaped at the girls, who looked like they could have been clones of each other. "We heal! We heal!" they chirped in high, tinny voices, scattering to each of the Seishi and setting to work, looking like so many worker bees swarming a beehive as they patted and prodded and made a general annoyance of themselves.

KC felt a tug on each of her hands, and glanced down to find two of the Nyan-Nyan clinging to her, regarding her with huge grins. "We heal!" one of them squealed, and KC yelped in surprise as she abruptly found herself being dragged to the floor. For being so tiny, the weird clone girls each packed the strength of a gorilla, and KC was helpless to stop them as they began stripping her of her soiled, travel-worn garments.

"Hey!" she yelped. "Can't we at least have some privacy? Hello! There are _guys_ here, you know!"

But she needn't have worried about being seen; Tamahome, Nuriko, and Hotohori were all buried under their own pile of enthusiastic Nyan-Nyan, and Chichiri seemed to have vanished again. Taiitsukun oversaw the whole operation with all the exasperated patience of a mother cat regarding her squabbling kittens, barking commands and, every once in awhile, sending a Nyan-Nyan flying through the roof when they got a little too exuberant in their work.

When it was finally over, KC found herself somehow cleaned and redressed in her own clothes, which had been mended and washed and looked better than new. As for that, KC herself felt better than new. At least, she didn't feel weak and dizzy anymore, if not a little disoriented from her whirlwind experience. It was as though she'd never gotten sick in the first place. She was ravenous, however. She hadn't realized how much of an appetite she _didn't_ have until that moment, now that she wasn't too nauseous to think about eating.

"Wow!" She stared down at the Nyan-Nyan through wide eyes, impressed despite herself. "You guys are fantastic! Can I take you home with me? You're like a laundromat, a bathtub, and a walking pharmacy, all at the same time!"

The Nyan-Nyan giggled with delight.


	20. Home Again, Home Again, JiggidyJig

_And here we are.  
__Still don't own the characters or overall plot of Fushigi Yuugi. I still do own KC & friends, and this story. Don't touch!_

* * *

**Twenty  
Home ****Again, ****Home ****Again, ****Jiggidy-Jig**

KC sat on the balcony outside of her temporary bedroom, which overlooked the magnificence of Taiitsukun's palace and the surrounding terrain. Her chin rested against the cool stone of the low railing, and her legs dangled over the edge of the balcony between the squat, marble rungs. Her arms hung limply over the banister as she stared through half-lidded eyes out at nothing, and she sighed deeply and kicked her feet idly, letting the heels of her boots smack against the lower wall with dull thuds.

It was sometime during the night; KC had long since given up attempting to make sense of the time in that world. If the sun rose, it was daytime. If it set, it was night, and that was about the extent of it. She'd never realized how much she depended on having twenty-four set hours in her day until they were taken from her. Frankly, it seemed an awfully uncivilized way to live.

She knew she was supposed to be sleeping—Hotohori would probably have kittens if he realized she was still awake at … whatever hour this was—but for the life of her, sleep was the very _last_ thing on her mind. She was too busy imagining what it would be like when she got home (_if_she got home). What would she tell everyone? Somehow, she didn't think they would appreciate the truth. Although … who was it that had claimed truth was stranger than fiction, anyway?

The light streaming around her from the general vicinity of her room abruptly went dark, due to the shadow suddenly looming behind her. Blinking in surprise, she tilted her head back and looked up to see Hotohori's darkened visage hovering over her body. "How come you're not sleeping?" was the first question out of her mouth.

"I might ask you the same," came the amused reply. Smiling faintly, he lowered himself to the stone floor, his presence a warm glow against her back. She fought the urge to shiver at his close proximity. "Are you well?" he questioned softly.

She shrugged and slumped forward again, crossing her arms under her chin. "I'm okay," she replied after a moment. There came the sound of scuffing, and she was startled when his long legs slid around her, dangling over the edge just as hers were doing so that she was cushioned between them. The heat of his legs warmed her own, but her face went scarlet when she felt his thighs closely cradling her hips. His arms slid around her waist and one hand came to rest idly against her stomach, and she felt herself being drawn backward until she leaned against his chest. Her heart was pounding and she felt feverish again, for an entirely different reason. To hide her discomfort, she looked awkwardly over her shoulder and asked, only half-jokingly, "Is it proper for an emperor to sit on the floor?"

She was unprepared for the serious, lidded gaze that bore so intently into her own, nor for the gentle hand that cupped her chin and brought her face closer to his, nor for his straightforward, solemn reply, "At this moment, I am not an emperor. I am only a simple man."

She half-dreaded his kiss, but when it came—falling softly upon her lips like the breath of a spring breeze—the dread vanished beneath the tumult of emotion his familiar touch invoked, slow and melting and hot. It was with great reluctance that she pulled away, her forearm pushing against his chest to keep him at a safer distance. "I—Um, m-maybe you shouldn't do that," she mumbled, keeping her burning face lowered. "S-someone might get the wrong idea."

He gazed down at her sadly, the disappointment clear in his eyes. "KC, may I ask why it is you are so hesitant to accept my love?" he questioned softly. "Why do you deny my proposal? Am I not—Do you not find me an appropriate suitor?"

KC was caught completely off guard by the question. Her startled gaze rose to his, and she found herself caught in his eyes again. "Th-that's not it," she stuttered. "It's not 'cause I've got anything against you. I just—I'm too young to get married. Didn't I say that already?"

"Yes, but I cannot help feeling there is more to your hesitance than simply being too young."

"The fact that I want to go home definitely has something to do with it," she quipped.

"Well, suppose you were able to go home. Suppose there was some way for us to be together without keeping you here. If there was a way for me to go to _your_ world, would you accept me then?" he pressed.

Her brow furrowed and she scratched her head, turning her back to him again. "Gee, you are persistent, aren't you?" she grumbled. "Are you saying there's a way for you to go to my world?"

He sighed. "I cannot be certain of that, but I'm sure Suzaku would be able to help us if we asked it of him."

She shook her head. "You can't do that, Hotohori. What about your responsibilities here? You're the emperor! Are you telling me you'd be willing to abandon your country just to follow me home?"

"Yes," he replied without hesitation. "I would give up everything, go anywhere, if it meant that I could be with you."

She turned around to fix him with a stern look. "I wouldn't accept you," she stated. "Not if it meant you'd abandon all your responsibilities. You'd be condemning Konan's people to the same kind of fate they'd meet if Kutou took it over, wouldn't you? So then why was I brought here to save it in the first place? I don't know much about monarchy in general, but it seems like a country without a ruler would just fall apart."

She saw his hand clench into a fist on his thigh. "Yes," he began, "but do _my_ needs not matter at all? All of my life, I have always put Konan before anything else. I have denied myself everything I might have wanted for the sake of my people." His words were laced with bitter frustration. "Must I deny my heart, as well, now that I have finally met my soul's mate?"

KC blushed. "Look, maybe I can understand a little why you're frustrated, but Konan is your legacy. Your parents left the empire and its people in your hands, to protect and care for. It's what you were born to do, and when you have a son of your own, you'll pass the crown to him with the hopes that he'll take as much responsibility toward it as you have. Would you really be able to live with yourself if you just tossed it all aside to follow your own whims? You don't strike me as being that kind of irresponsible person."

He held her gaze for a long moment, then released a drawn-out breath. "No, I suppose not," he admitted grudgingly, and allowed a small smile to cross his lips. "You truly understand my character, KC. If I abandoned my country, even for you, in time I would regret the decision."

"And that's why you're an honorable man," she replied simply. "I don't think I'd like you as much as I do otherwise."

"Then why will you not _stay_ with me? Is there nothing I can say to change your mind?"

She huffed a sigh. "Look, I'm not—" She stopped and shook her head. "Your offer is tempting, it _really_ is, but it isn't something I should say yes to just like that. If I agreed to stay with you, I'd be making a lifetime commitment, and I'd be giving up _everything_. And … frankly, how do I know it will last? How can I know for sure you'll stay in love with me? I don't even know if I'm in love with you! I don't know what that feels like."

"It feels as if the walls surrounding my soul have crumbled, and everything I am, and ever was, and ever will be is bared to your eyes," he described softly, his voice wistful. "Everything within me cries out for your presence, and only when you are at my side, just like this, am I at peace."

KC really wanted to melt into him, just lean back and let him hold her and kiss her and do whatever else he wanted to her. But she _also_ wanted to keep arguing her point, because she knew she had a really good one to make.

In the end, common sense won out. Barely. "You keep saying stuff like that," she began quietly, "but how am I supposed to believe that it's actually _me_ you're in love with?"

He stiffened at the accusation, clearly offended. "I am afraid I do not understand."

She licked her lips and ran a hand through her hair as she struggled to piece her thoughts. "You told me before about how much you've loved the Priestess, ever since you first found out about her. You said you thought she would be the one to save you from being lonely. Frankly, the way you talk about her, you make her sound like some kind of a goddess or something."

"Yes, but I don't understand what you—"

"So, you keep telling me that you love _me,_ because I happen to be _her,_ but what if I wasn't the one who'd gotten picked?" KC blurted, cutting him off. "I mean, it could just as easily have been somebody else who'd found that book and gotten sucked through, right?"

She stubbornly ignored the fact that very few girls her age would have even been able to gain access to the library basement in the first place. That didn't matter.

Hotohori's expression cleared. "KC, Suzaku would not have pulled just anybody into our world," he assured her. "You are the only one he has chosen, nobody else."

"How can you know that for certain?" she pressed. "And … and even if that's true, I'm not this ideal woman you think is going to save you. I can't even get my own life in order, much less save anybody else from theirs. But putting _that_ aside, what if it _had_ been somebody else who had gotten pulled through the book? Like … like my friend Kimiko, for instance."

He sighed, rubbing his temple wearily. "KC, I truly do not understand what—"

"Because, if it _had_ been her, then everything you've been telling _me,_ you'd be saying to _her_ instead, wouldn't you? Wouldn't _she_ be your ideal woman, because she was the one who got picked to be the priestess?"

Hotohori looked like he was about to argue some more, but she didn't give him a chance as she hurried on, "So _now_ let's assume that for some bizarre reason, you're still able to meet me even after Kimiko had already gotten picked. Would you still be going on about how _I__'__m_ the one you love, even though Kimiko is the priestess now? Would you even be willing to give me a second glance after meeting Kimiko, who is quiet and pretty and smart and pretty much everything I'm _not_?"

Hotohori looked almost flabbergasted. Clearly, he had never considered this point of view, and KC felt satisfaction for finally making him see her point. "I—That's—" he sputtered, at a loss for words. Then he seemed to shake off his confusion, and continued more firmly, "The point is, _you_ are Suzaku's chosen one. You alone are the fated savior of our country, and—"

"The _point_ is, it's the _ideal_ of the Priestess of Suzaku that you fell in love with, not me as a person," KC replied heatedly. Good grief, what did it take to make this guy see _reason_? She drummed her fingers nervously against the railing. "I'm sorry, but I'm not willing to give up my entire life only to have you figure out later on that I'm _not_ this perfect woman you've deluded yourself into believing I am. I don't want to be stuck here while you decide you would have been better off marrying somebody else who knows how to be a proper empress."

She leaned forward to rest her chin on her arms again. "You keep saying you want me to see you as only a man, but aren't you being a bit hypocritical? I think you only see me as your perfect priestess, and not a regular girl who doesn't know anything about love or relationships or even real life outside of high school! I don't even know what I want to do after I graduate, because that's two years away and I don't want to think about it yet. I'm still just a kid, and it's not fair of you to keep pressing me to grow up before I'm ready, just because you can't tell the difference between your fantasy and reality."

There came a soft, indrawn breath, and then silence. KC wanted to kick herself; she could practically feel the hurt radiating from Hotohori, and she suddenly regretted speaking to him so harshly. He'd done so much for her already, and he deserved a little kindness after everything she'd put him through. Why couldn't she have at least tried to soften her words? Even if he _was_ deluded, couldn't she at least let him have his little fantasy?

"Look," she began softly, turning to face him. "I'm sorry. Honestly. I _hate_ being so mean to you. It's just that I … I can't bring myself to believe in true love and soul mates, especially between people who hardly know each other." She hesitated. "Even for people who _have_ known each other for a long time, who grew up together and always loved each other … it doesn't always work. People you think will never be separated because they're in love just … just fall _out_ of love one day, and then it's all over. Nothing can bring them together again. I don't want to end up like that."

"KC." To her surprise, instead of looking offended or angry, Hotohori regarded her with compassion. "What has happened to make you so jaded toward love?" he murmured. "Why can you not accept things as they are, and simply embrace the fact that you _are_ the one destined for Suzaku, and for me? Forget what-ifs and logic, what has love to do with any of that, anyway? Can you not believe that we would both be happy if we stayed together?"

"It's not about believing I'd be happy if we stayed together," she told him. "I just don't have a reason to believe we _would_ stay together. I know you think you love me, but I can't measure up to your ideals. And whatever it is you think you feel for me right now … it won't last when you finally realize I'm not your perfect woman."

"KC, why must you doubt me?" His voice was laced with weary frustration as he pressed his forehead to hers. "Why can you not trust me to know my own heart? Why can you not trust what _your _heart is telling you? Do you think I cannot see the way you look at me? Your eyes mirror everything I feel for you. Is your fear of the unknown so great that you would deny your own soul?"

She looked away from him, and he could see the stubborn clenching of her jaw. She gave him no answer. He fingered a lock of her hair, raising it to his lips. "Poor, sweet dove. I feel I can only pity you," he sighed.

That got her attention, and she glared at him, stung. "I don't want your pity," she snapped. "If _you__'__d_ just bother to actually think about it a little, you'd probably realize I'm right!"

His sigh was heartfelt and resigned, realizing that at the moment, he was fighting a losing battle. Better to withdraw and reevaluate his strategy before he ended up scaring her away for good. "Please rest now. It is very late," he told her softly, and gently kissed her cheek before climbing to his feet and striding from the balcony without another word.

* * *

KC was rudely jerked out of her fitful sleep by what felt like a herd of wild elephants trampling all over her bed. She yelled loudly and bolted up, clutching the sheets to her chin, and stared with bleary-eyed amazement at the half-dozen Nyan-Nyan who seemed to be engaged in a trampoline contest on her mattress.

"Good morning! Good morning! We wake!" they squealed loudly as soon as they felt her stare.

"You couldn't have just poked me in the shoulder or something?" KC grumbled as she tossed the coverlet over their heads, earning a flurry of giggles. Then again, given their strength, she'd probably have woken up full of holes if they had.

"Breakfast time!" one of them squeaked. "Taiitsukun is waiting! Hurry, hurry!"

"I'm going, I'm going," she grumbled, struggling out of bed and staggering down the hall, led by the over-exuberant clone girls. It was still dark outside; why couldn't these people wake up at a more reasonable hour? She wondered if she'd ever be able to get into a normal sleeping schedule again after this little adventure.

They arrived at the dining hall, where all four of her Seishi were already engaged in another feast. If there was one thing she could say about Taiitsukun's hospitality, the woman certainly pulled out all the stops when it came to entertaining guests.

Their hostess was seated at the head of the table, sipping calmly at a cup of tea. "Good morning," she intoned regally. "I trust you slept well?"

"Like a log," KC mumbled as she plopped onto a cushion between Nuriko and Tamahome, although the dark rings under her eyes standing in stark contrast to her pale skin belied the statement. "So, um, not to be rude or anything, but have you thought about my situation?" She regarded the Emperor of the Heavens anxiously, crossing her fingers under the table as she waited for the answer. She didn't know _what _she ought to feel at the moment; dread or anticipation.

Taiitsukun calmly took another sip of her tea, before decisively setting the delicate china on the table before her. "After much pondering, I have decided that it would do little harm to send you back to your world for a short while," she said with dignity. "As soon as you have tied up your ends there, however, you must swear upon Suzaku's holy power that you shall return to this world immediately. There are lives that depend upon you, after all. You must never forget this."

KC released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, her face lighting up with delight. "I won't forget it, I promise!" she gushed. "I swear I'll come back again, as soon as possible. Just as soon as I'm able to let everyone know I'm okay and to come up with some excuse why I'll be gone." Her brow furrowed. "I don't know what I'll tell everyone yet, especially about where I've been, but I'm sure I'll think of something. I'm good at improvising stories to keep myself out of trouble."

"Oh really?" Tamahome shot her a dry look. "Just what kind of trouble are we talking about here?" he teased.

She pulled a face at him. "Oh, just the usual. Bank robbing, mugging, murder. Stealing candy from babies. You know."

"Uh." Tamahome blinked. "Y-you're joking, right?"

She fixed him with her most deadpan stare. "No."

He chuckled nervously and went back to shoveling food down his gullet.

"So? When can we do this? _How_ do we do this?" KC asked, turning her attention back to Taiitsukun. She was practically bouncing in her seat. "Do I just, like, close my eyes and tap my heels together three times or something? I don't need to wear ruby slippers do I? Red is _so_ not my color."

"KC, we all understand your desire to go home, but perhaps you might consider joining us in our morning repast, first," Hotohori suggested, regarding her with amusement.

"Er … right. Sorry," she muttered, picking up her chopsticks.

* * *

Breakfast couldn't end soon enough. KC could barely touch her food, only managing to shove down a few bites. She could hardly believe that she was going home! When the others had finally finished their own meals, everyone adjourned to the throne room, where Taiitsukun had KC kneel on the floor with her four Seishi surrounding her.

"Because all seven of your Seishi have not yet been found, it will be more difficult to transport you back to your world," Taiitsukun warned her. "You must concentrate hard on your home, on the people you love, and wish with all of your heart to be there. As you do, your Seishi must focus their chi directly on you, to lend you strength to make the journey, and I shall send you across the dimension."

"Got it. Um, how do I come back here again?"

"By the same method you originally used to get here, of course," Taiitsukun replied impatiently. "The path you first followed to this world will still be open, so you should easily be able to traverse it again."

"Right." KC hoped it would be that simple, and that the book was still in the same place she'd left it. So much time had passed already. What if it had been found and shipped back to China or something? It'd be a little hard to explain how she got into another country without a passport, and she was pretty sure most foreign countries didn't take kindly to illegal intrusion.

"Everyone, focus your chi on the Priestess. KC, focus your thoughts on your family and friends, and _will_ yourself to be home. Let us begin!"

"Wait!"

The sudden cry came from Hotohori. Everyone turned to stare at him, but he ignored them as he focused his gaze directly on KC, in a very unnerving manner.

"Wh-what?" she squeaked, fighting the urge to hide behind a Nyan-Nyan. "D-did I forget something?"

"That isn't it," he replied quietly, moving toward her and reaching out to grasp her hands. "I simply wish to ask you…" He paused, and took a deep breath. "Forgive me, KC, but I … I simply cannot let you go. Not without asking you, one last time, if you will please consent to wed me, and become my wife."

"_Huh?_" Her eyes went wide. "Uh, you mean right _now_? In front of _everyone_?" She looked around nervously, noting the stunned expressions on the their faces. Obviously, they hadn't been expecting this any more than she had. She frowned at Hotohori; hadn't their conversation the night before sunk in at _all_?

"Please," Hotohori continued pleadingly, kissing her hands. "I know what you told me. I understand how you feel, but I … I cannot bring myself to give up on you. And I cannot let you go without some proof that you really will return again."

She glowered. "I already _told_ you I'd come back. Do you think I'm lying?" she hissed, trying to jerk from his grasp.

"No, of course not," he murmured. "I know you have more honor than that. But, if you would marry me, right now, it would ease my mind. It would give me something to hope for, knowing that you would be tied to me as more than simply my Priestess. Taiitsukun could perform the necessary—"

"You're not making any sense," she interrupted, glancing around nervously at the other Seishi, who were trying _very_ hard to look as though they weren't listening. "What does me marrying you have to do with whether or not I come back again?" She shook her head. "We already talked about this. Repeatedly! Don't you have any pride?"

His smile was sad. "I'm afraid my pride has fled in the face of my longing for you," he admitted softly. "Perhaps I am a pathetic man, after all."

"D-don't say that." She blushed profusely as she looked away, wishing for some help. "You're not pathetic. It's just—"

"Hotohori."

Taiitsukun's stern voice effectively brought the uncomfortable conversation to a halt, and all eyes turned to stare at her. She regarded the emperor with an expression bordering on compassion. "Hotohori, I understand your desire to rush into things, given the encroaching war, but perhaps you do not understand the Priestess's position. Were you to wed her now, you would be expected to consummate your marriage, and get her with child, would you not? In these times, an heir is necessary, should anything happen to you."

KC turned bright red and hastily moved away from the emperor, trying to ignore the stares she could feel boring into her from her other Seishi. What a conversation to be holding in public!

"Uh, yes," Hotohori stammered, blushing faintly. "It would be the … um … the next step. I admit than an heir is a necessity."

"Perhaps you do not realize," Taiitsukun began, very gently, "that KC must remain a virgin if she is to summon the god and couple with him to gain his holy power. Were she to lose her virginity, she would lose the right to be the Priestess of Suzaku, and all hope of saving your land would be lost."

"_What?_"

There was no telling who shouted the word first; it seemed to come from everyone at once.

"You mean if I wanna pull this off, I can't ever get laid?" KC protested. Then, blushing even darker, she hastily added, "Eh, not that I've got any intention of doing _that_ with _anyone_ right now."

Hotohori was silent for a long moment. "I … see," he murmured. "Then, it is truly impossible for us to be together."

"At least until Suzaku is summoned," Tamahome put in helpfully, and was abruptly sent flying by Nuriko's fist.

"Don't go giving him any ideas!" the Seishi snarled after him.

"Look, I get it, okay? I gotta stay a virgin. That's not gonna be a problem, so can we get _on_ with this already?" KC pleaded. "I'm not getting any younger you know!" While she inwardly cringed at the open disappointment on Hotohori's face, she was also a little relieved. No matter how flattering it was to have such a gorgeous, sophisticated man practically falling all over himself to be with her, she couldn't help but feel a bit cornered by his refusal to back down. Even though she enjoyed being with him, and _really_ enjoyed the way he held and kissed her, she didn't like the pressure he was putting on her to make such a huge commitment to him. Still, now that he knew for sure she couldn't be the one he wanted, maybe he'd ease up in his pursuit a little. _I __wish __he __didn__'__t __hurt __so __much __over __it, __though,_ she thought unhappily. She hated seeing such desolation in his eyes. It made her feel guilty for being the one to put it there.

The conversation brought to an end, everyone resumed their former positions, and began to concentrate on the task at hand. KC knelt in the middle of the floor and closed her eyes, fisting her hands on her lap, and tried with all her might to think of home.

It was harder than she'd expected to maintain concentration. No matter how many times she pictured her mother's face, Hotohori's sad gaze managed to shove its way forward. And then her legs began to cramp up from being squashed in such an uncomfortable position. Soon after that, her nose began to itch. She hardly dared to move, but if she could just reach up really slowly to scratch it—

"Katriana Choinski! Maintain your concentration! You are wasting your Seishis' precious energy!" Taiitsukun bellowed.

"Yes! Sorry!" she yelped, jumping in her seat. She squinched her eyes more tightly, forcefully shoved all distractions out of her mind, and concentrated with all her might on home, her friends, and her family. _There__'__s __no __place __like __home. __There__'__s __no __place __like __home. __There__'__s __no __place __like __home,_ she chanted inwardly, for extra measure.

At first, it seemed like nothing was going to happen. But just when it felt as though she was either going to scream or fall over, a warm glow began to surround her. Startled, she opened her eyes, only to realize that the room before her was vanishing in red light. "Wha—!"" she yelped. "Uh … um … bye, guys! I'll see you in awhile!" she managed to get out, and then the room vanished completely, and she found herself once again being tumbled though the endless black vortex toward home.

_~End __Book __One~_

* * *

_And that's all she wrote. A nice, round number to wrap up the first book. _

_Don't worry, book two will be coming soon. However, as I've only got a little bit of book two started, updates will be sporadic. This was originally supposed to be a single book. KC and my muse unfortunately had other ideas. I'll update in between writing my original novels. Fanfiction is great but I'll never become a published author by writing it, so it is not my main focus anymore. Sorry, but that's the way it is._

_Thank you for reading book one, and for the lovely reviews. I hope you'll continue to enjoy KC's adventure in book two._


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